Frank  Merriwell's  Foes 


BY 

BURT  L.  STANDISH 

AUTHOR  OF 

Frank  Merriwell's  School  Days,"  "  Frank^Merriwell's  Chums,"  etc. 


PHILADELPHIA 

DAVID  McKAY,   PUBLISHER 

604-8  SOUTH  WASHINGTON  SQUARE 


Copyright,  1902 
By  STREET  &  SMITH 

Frank  MerriweU's  Foes 


CONTENTS. 


I—The  Start 5 

II— The  Professor's  Dilemma          .        .        .         1 1 

III— On  the  Train 16 

IV— Further  Excitement          ....         22 
V — Frank  Introduces  the  Professor     .        .        .27 

VI— Still  More  Trouble 32 

VII— A  Startling  Assertion 38 

VIII— Story  of  the  Spectre          ....         43 

IX— The  Strange  Ring 50 

X— Pursuing  a  Prowler 56 

XI— A  Revelation 59 

XII— The  Last  of  the  Spectre    ....         65 

XIII— Friends  and  Foes 70 

XIV— Frank  is  Wary 76 

XV— Training  for  the  Contests     .        .        .        .81 

XVI— On  the  Field 86 

XVII— Accident  or  Design  ? 92 

XVIII— Throwing  the  Hammer    ....         98 

XIX— Jumping 105 

XX— Ready  for  the  Dash          .        .        .        .       112 

XXI— Defeated  by  a  Trick 118 

XXII— The  Hurdle  Race 124 

XXIII— The  Last  Match  130 

XXIV— An  Eventful  Night  ....        137 


ii  CONTENTS. 

XXV— Sailor  Jack 142 

XXVI— Hodge  in  Trouble       .        .        .        .        147 

XXVII— The  Hermit 152 

XXVIII— A  Spy 1 60 

XXIX— The  Shore  of  the  Lake     .        .        .        .165 
XXX— Capture  of  the  Boat     .        .        .        .        168 

XXXI— On  the  Island 174 

XXXII— The  Burning  of  the  Hut       .        .        .        180 

XXXIII— Frank's  Fate 188 

XXXIV— Last  Words  With  the  Hermit      .        =       192 
XXXV— The  Hands  of  Friends     .        .        .        .198 

XXXVI— Go  Ahead  ! 203 

XXXVII— Boy  Life-savers 210 

XXXVIII— 'Gainst  Wind  and  Wave     ...       217 

XXXIX— The  Doomed  Schooner   .        .        .        .223 

XL— The  Coast  Guard        ....       228 

XLI— The  Work  of  Rescue      .        .        .        .233 

XLII— Cast  Into  the  Sea         ....       239 

XLIII— Out  of  the  Sea 244 

XLI V— Carlos  Merriwell         ....       249 

XLV— Jealousy 255 

XLVI— Fire! 261 

XLVII— From  the  Flames  .  266 


FRANK  MERRIWELL'S  FOES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  START. 

One  day  the  mail  for  Fardale  Military  Academy 
brought  Frank  Merriwell  a  letter  from  his  uncle.  Tear- 
ing open  the  envelope,  he  was  soon  reading  the  following 
brief  and  rather  surprising  message: 

MY  DEAR  NEPHEW — Come  home  without  delay.  Strange  things 
are  happening  here.  I  am  not  very  well,  and  the  end  cannot  be  far 
away.  I  wish  to  make  arrangements  concerning  your  future.  I 
have  written  Professor  Gunn,  asking  that  you  be  given  a  fur- 
lough, and  requesting  him,  if  possible,  to  allow  one  of  the  pro- 
fessors to  accompany  you.  Come  as  soon  as  possible,  for,  since 
the  visitation  of  last  night,  I  fear  what  the  return  of  another 
night  may  bring  forth.  My  nerves  are  severely  shaken.  I  am 
not  superstitious,  but  I  have  begun  to  believe  that  there  are 
actually  "more  things  in  heaven  and  earth  than  are  dreamed  of  in 
our  philosophy."  Your  affectionate  uncle, 

ASHER  D.  MERRIWELL. 

Having  read  this,  Frank  gave  a  long  whistle,  expres- 
sive of  the  state  of  his  feelings. 

"What  in  the  world  can  be  the  matter  with  Uncle 
Asher?"  he  muttered,  perplexed.  "He  was  the  picture 
of  health  when  I  saw  him  last,  and  he  has  not  mentioned 
being  ill  in  any  of  his  other  letters.  Then  he  says  strange 
things  are  happening  there,  and  speaks  of  a  'visitation.* 
If  there  was  a  streak  of  insanity  anywhere  in  our  family, 
I  might  think  Uncle  Asher  off  in  his  mind,  but  I  know 


6  The  Start. 

better  than  to  fancy  anything  of  that  sort,  so  I  do  not 
know  what  to  imagine." 

He  read  the  brief  letter  over  and  over,  but  the  more  he 
studied  it  the  greater  became  his  bewilderment,  and  so  he 
finally  abandoned  the  task  as  hopeless,  knowing  all  would 
'he  explained  when  he  arrived  home. 

As  Frank  anticipated,  Professor  Gunn  sent  for  him, 
and  he  went  to  the  head  instructor's  tent,  the  letter  from 
Frank's  uncle  having  been  received  during  the  first  week 
of  the  summer  encampment  at  Fardale  Academy. 

"Mr.  Merriwell,"  said  the  old  professor,  carefully  ad- 
justing his  glasses  on  the  end  of  his  nose,  and  peering 
over  them  with  an  owl-like  expression,  "I  have  received 
a  very  surprising  request  from  your  uncle — very  sur- 
prising. He  asks  that  you  be  sent  home  on  furlough,  and 
that  one  of  my  assistants  accompany  you.  Both  Pro- 
fessor Scotch  and  Professor  Jenks  are  anxious  to  em- 
brace the  opportunity  to  get  away  from  their  duties  for  a 
short  time,  and,  as  your  esteemed  uncle  has  offered  to 
pay  liberally  for  the  privilege  of  having  you  come  home 
in  charge  of  a  careful  and  painstaking  tutor,  I  have  de- 
cided to  comply  with  his  wishes — yes,  sir,  I  have  decided 
to  do  so." 

Frank  remained  silent,  waiting  respectfully  for  the 
professor  to  proceed. 

Professor  Gunn  cleared  his  throat,  pressed  his  thumbs 
and  the  tips  of  his  fingers  together,  and,  still  staring  owl- 
like  over  the  glasses,  which  were  recklessly  perched  on 
the  end  of  his  long,  thin  nose,  continued : 

"I  presume  you  will  understand  that  this  concession  on 
my  part  is  quite  unusual.  Never  in  the  history  of  Far- 
dale  Military  Academy  has  such  a  request  been  made  be- 
fore, and  I  have  concluded  to  ask  you  a  few  questions— 
a  very  few  questions." 

Frank  bowed. 


The  Start.  7 

"I  am  listening1,  professor,"  he  said. 

The  head  instructor  seemed  uneasy.  He  cleared  his 
throat  again,  and,  still  keeping  the  tips  of  the  fingers  of 
both  hands  touching,  began  patting  his  thumbs  together. 

"Er — er — I  do  not  wish  to  seem  too  inquisitive,"  he 
hesitatingly  declared ;  "but  I  would  like  to  inquire  if  this ' 
uncle,  with  whom  you  have  been  living  since  your  parents' ^ 
death,  is  in  any  way — er — er — eccentric?" 

"Well,  I  don't  know,"  replied  Frank.  "He  is  rather 
bluff,  and  he  may  be  slightly  different  from  the  common 
run  of  people." 

"Er — er — exactly.  But  is  he — is  Re — mentally  sound? 
Is  his  mind  all  right — quite  well  balanced?" 

"It  has  always  seemed  so.  He  has  had  mind  enough 
to  make  a  very  large  fortune,  for  neither  Uncle  Asher  nor 
his  brother,  my  father,  had  a  dollar  with  which  to  start 
out  in  life,  and  uncle  Is  a  very  rich  man  now.  He 
started  in  with  the  determination  to  buy  back  the  family 
homestead,  which  my  grandfather  lost  by  speculation,  and 
he  now  owns  the  old  place,  and  a  great  deal  of  adjoining 
property ;  and  his  income  is  such  that,  for  all  of  his  ex- 
penditures, which  are  not  light,  his  wealth  is  steadily  in- 
creasing." 

Professor  Gunn  coughed,  nodded,  and  said: 

"Very  well,  very  well !  Such  a  man  has  a  right  to  be 
eccentric — a  perfect  right.  But  his  letter  to  me  was 
peculiar — I  did  not  understand  it.  He  may  be  ill — some- 
thing may  be  troubling  his  mind/' 

"It  is  possible,  sir." 

"Well,  I  will  permit  you  to  make  your  choice  between 
Professor  Scotch  and  Professor  Jenks.  Both  desire  the 
outing,  and  I  have  decided  to  spare  one  of  them  for  a 
short  time.  Which  do  you  prefer  as  a  companion  during 
your  furlough?" 

Frank  hesitated.     It  was  difficult  for  him  to  tell  whicH 


8  The  Start. 

of  the  two  professors  he  preferred,  but  he  finally  decided 
to  take  Professor  Scotch,  whose  fiery  hair  and  peppery 
temper  had  led  the  cadets  sportively  to  nickname  him 
"Hot  Scotch." 

"Great  Scott !"  thought  Frank ;  "won't  there  be  a  cir- 
cus if  Uncle  Asher  and  Professor  Scotch  take  a  dislike  to 
each  other!  Uncle  has  a  temper  that  needs  filing,  and 
Scotch  is  always  prancing  round  with  a  chip  on  his 
shoulder." 

Professor  Gunn  directed  Frank  to  be  ready  to  take  the 
train  early  in  the  morning,  stating  that  Professor  Scotch 
should  be  on  hand  to  accompany  him. 

Frank  did  not  lose  the  opportunity  to  seek  permission 
to  spend  the  evening  in  Fardale  village,  for  he  did  not 
wish  to  leave  without  seeing  Inza  Burrage  and  letting  her 
know  that  he  was  going  away  for  a  short  time.  Inza 
was  the  girl  that  Frank  admired  above  all  others  in  the 
pretty  village  near  which  Fardale  Military  Academy  was 
located. 

Being  by  far  the  most  popular  cadet  in  the  school,  it 
was  not  strange  that,  having  told  one  or  two  friends  that 
he  was  going  away  on  furlough,  the  entire  encampment 
soon  knew  of  it,  and  Frank  found  himself  constantly  sur- 
rounded by  a  crowd  of  uniformed  y_ouths,  who  protested 
their  regrets  at  the  thought  of  losing  him,  even  for  a  short 
time. 

Bartley  Hodge,  Frank's  tentmate,  was  utterly  cast 
down  and  dejected. 

"How  long  are  you  to  be  on  furlough,  Frank?"  he 
asked. 

"I  don't  know,"  was  the  reply.  "I  believe  no  definite 
length  of  time  has  been  mentioned." 

"But,  great  Jupiter !  what  can  we  do  if  you  are  not  on 
hand  to  take  part  in  our  regular  match  ball  games? 
Who  will  be  our  star  pitcher?" 


The  Start.  9 

"I  may  get  back  in  time.  If  I  do  not,  you  will  have 
to  find  somebody  to  fill  my  place." 

"That's  impossible ;  nobody  can  fill  your  place,  old  man. 
Some  fellow  might  make  a  bluff  at  it;  but  that's  all  it 
would  amount  to." 

"Yaw,"  nodded  Hans  Dunnerwurst,  the  only  Dutch  boy 
in  the  school.  "Dot  peen  a  fact;  und  I  vos  goin'  to  do 
my  lefel  pest  to  pring  him  pack  bretty  queek  alretty  in 
dime  to  do  der  peeching  dose  games  for." 

"Going  to  do  your  best  to  bring  him  back  ?" 

"Dot  vos  vot  I  said,  ain'd  id?" 

"Well,  what  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  How  are  you  going 
to  bring  him  back  ?" 

"Don'd  I  lif  der  next  town  in  dis  side  peyond  vere 
Vrankie  lifs  ?  Veil,  I  shoult  smile !  Und  don'd  you  said 
a  vord  apout  dot ;  but  I  hat  a  ledder  mein  mutter  from  dot 
toldt  me  I  hat  pesser  come  righd  avay  home  alretty  yet. 
I  took  dot  ledder  der  brofessor  to,  und  he  peen  gif  me  a 
furlough  der  nexd  two  veeks  for.  Shimminy  Gristmas! 
I  peen  gone  righd  along  mit  Vrankie  on  der  drain  in  der 
morning,  I  pet  you  your  life !" 

"Well,  Hans,  this  is  good  news !"  cried  Frank,  grasp- 
ing the  Dutch  lad's  hand.  "I  shall  be  pleased  to  have  you 
for  a  traveling  companion." 

"Dot  vos  natural.  I  peen  so  arisdogratic  my  looks  in 
dot  beople  vill  pelieve  you  vas  draveling  aroundt  mit  a 
duke." 

"Professor  Scotch  is  going  along  with  us  for  a  little 
vacation." 

"You  don'd  pelieve  me!  Veil,  we  don'd  done  a  thing 
der  brofessor  to !  Yaw !  yaw !  yaw !" 

After  supper  Frank  found  his  opportunity  to  slip  away 
from  the  camp  without  attracting  the  attention  of  the 
cadetst  and  he  embraced  it. 


!o  The  Start. 

His  call  upon  Inza  was  protracted  as  long  as  possible, 
and  he  barely  got  into  camp  in  time  to  answer  at  tattoo. 

Not  knowing  how  long  he  would  remain  away  from  the 
academy,  Frank  packed  his  trunk  in  the  morning  so  that 
he  would  have  all  the  things  he  could  need  in  several 
weeks. 

Hans  got  everything  he  desired  to  carry  into  a  huge 
extension  grip,  and  Professor  Scotch  took  a  small  trunk. 

In  due  time,  an  expressman  from  the  village  called  for 
the  trunks  and  the  passengers. 

The  cadets  had  gathered  to  see  the  trio  off,  and  they 
gave  the  school  cry  as  the  express  wagon  rolled  away, 
with  Professor  Scotch  on  the  seat  beside  the  driver,  Hans 
sitting  on  Frank's  trunk,  and  Frank  standing  up  to  make 
a  farewell  salute  and  wave  his  cap. 

All  together  in  one  mighty  chorus  the  battalion  roared : 

"Ha!  ha!  ha!  Rah!  rah!  rah!  Jigger-boom!  Zig- 
ger-boom!  Grape-shot!  Canister!  All  hail  Fardale! 
Ss-ss-ss-ss !" 

The  final  mighty  hiss  was  like  the  sound  that  comes 
from  a  rocket  as  it  soars  heavenward,  which  it  was  prob- 
ably intended  to  represent. 

Frank  waved  his  cap. 

"Good-by,  fellows !"  he  shouted.  "I  will  be  with  you 
again  later  on." 

Once  more  the  academy  cry  went  up,  and  on  the  end  of/ 
it  Bart  Hodge  was  heard  to  shout: 

"Merriwell!     Merriwell!    Rah!  rah!  rah!" 

The  boys  took  up  the  cry  as  if  it  came  from  one  pair 
of  lips.  It  was  a  show  of  regard  and  esteem  that  brought 
a  mist  to  Frank's  eyes. 


CHAPTER  II. 
THE  PROFESSOR'S  DILEMMA. 

As  the  express  wagon  approached  the  village,  Profes- 
sor Scotch  became  rather  nervous.  At  his  request,  the 
driver  drove  to  the  station  by  way  of  a  back  street.  This 
did  not  escape  the  notice  of  the  boys,  who  wondered  what 
it  meant. 

Tickets  were  purchased  and  baggage  checked,  after 
which  they  were  forced  to  wait  ten  minutes  for  the  train. 

During  this  time  the  little  professor  acted  as  if  he  were 
ready  to  run  and  hide  at  the  slightest  provocation. 

"Vat  vos  der  madder  mit  him,  ain'd  id  ?"  asked  Hans  of 
Frank.  "Anypody  mighd  pelief  he  vos  sdole  somedings." 

"That's  right,"  nodded  Merriwell.  "He  certainly  acts 
as  if  he  is  running  away  from  something  or  somebody." 

The  little  professor  carried  a  large  umbrella,  and,  with 
this  held  as  if  constantly  ready  for  use,  he  sneaked  up  and 
down  the  platform,  peering  cautiously  round  corners. 

The  train  whistled  for  Fardale,  and  at  that  moment, 
the  professor  was  seen  to  open  the  umbrella  quickly,  and 
hold  it  between  himself  and  a  tall,  angular  woman  who 
was  hurrying  toward  the  station. 

"Great  Scott !"  gasped  Frank,  as  the  truth  dawned  on 
him.  "There  comes  Nancy  Cobb,  the  widow  who  has 
been  receiving  the  attentions  of  both  Professor  Scotch  and 
Professor  Jenks.  She  acts  as  if  she  were  on  Scotch's 
trail." 

"Dot's  vot's  der  madder  mit  Hannah !"  chuckled  Hans. 
"Look  ad  der  brofessor !  He  vos  britty  near  scared  fits 


12  The  Professor's  Dilemma. 

into  alretty  yet.  Shimminy  Gristmas !  Dere  vos  peen  a 
bicnic  britty  queek !" 

The  professor  was,  indeed,  ghastly  pale,  and  his  knees 
seemed  to  quiver.  He  gazed  wildly,  longingly,  at  the 
approaching  train,  and  then  peered  in  a  terrified  way  over 
the  edge  of  the  umbrella  at  the  widow,  who  was  hurrying 
straight  toward  the  spot 

It  was  evident  that  the  widow  would  arrive  first. 

The  professor  frantically  beckoned  for  the  boys  to  ap- 
proach, and  they  hastened  to  his  side. 

"Say,  can't  you  keep  her  off?"  asked  Scotch,  des- 
perately. "Can't  you  keep  her  away  till  I  can  board  the 
train  ?" 

"Keep  who  away?"  asked  Frank,  innocently. 

"Yaw ;  who  she  vos  ?"  questioned  Hans,  with  his  mouth 
open  in  a  wondering  manner.  "Vos  she  tangerous  ?" 

"Dangerous?  She's  worse  than  dynamite!  Jenks 
must  have  told  her  I  was  going — confound  him!  Keep 
her  away!" 

"But  I  thought  you  were  paying  her  attentions?  I 
thought  you  contemplated  something  serious  in  that  di- 
rection ?" 

"I  did,"  confessed  Scotch,  excitedly;  "but  I've  changed 
my  mind.  It's  leap-year,  you  know,  and  she  proposed  to 
me  the  last  time  I  saw  her.  I  about  half  accepted  her; 
but  I  have  regretted  it  since.  She  means  business !  She's 
going  to  try  to  stop  me,  and  compel  me  to  marry  her! 
Boys,  I  am  a  desperate  man !  I  had  rather  die  than  meet 

such  a  fate!  Can't  you  save  me?  Can't  you 

Mercy !  here  she  is !" 

The  umbrella  had  not  served  to  hide  him  sufficiently  to 
deceive  the  widow,  who  now  confronted  him. 

"What's  the  meanin'  of  this,  I  want  to  know?"  she 
cried,  in  a  shrill,  high-pitched  tone.  "Where  be  you 
goin',  Horace  Orman  Tyler  Scotch?" 


The  Professor's  Dilemma.  13 

"Er — er — I'm  going  into  the  country,"  stammered  the 
little  man,  backing  away,  and  keeping  an  eye  on  the  train, 
which  was  drawing  up  at  the  station. 

"The  country  ?  What  country  ?"  sharply  demanded  the 
widow,  who  was  very  hard  of  hearing,  although  she 
never  acknowledged  it. 

"Oh,  to  some  place  I  may  select  by  chance,"  evasively 
replied  the  professor. 

"Direct  to  France!"  squealed  the  widow,  wildly. 
"Well,  I  ruther  think  I'll  have  something  to  say  about 
that !  You'll  find  I've  got  a  claim  on  you,  and  when  you 
go  to  France,  you'll  take  me  along  as  your  bride.  You 
have  given  me  your  promise,  an'  you  can't  break  it !  I'm 
not  a  female  woman  that  you  can  trifle  with,  sir !  I  am 
no  sixteen-year-old  gal,  with  paper  curls  all  over  her 
forrud  !  I  know  a  thing  or  two,  an'  I'm  goin'  to  hold  you 
to  your  word,  ur  sue  you  for  breeches  of  promise !  What 
have  you  got  to  say  to  that,  sir  ?" 

"Don't  make  a  scene  in  public !" 

"Ain't  been  published.  Well,  we  can  be  mighty  quick. 
If  you  ain't  got  gumption  enough  to  attend  to  that,  I  will, 
and  I'll  get  the  license." 

"Oh,  go  'way !" 

"Day  ?  Why,  any  day.  I'd  as  lief  be  married  one  day 
as  another." 

"You  don't  understand." 

"Want  my  hand.  Well,  you  can  have  it ;  an'  now  I've 
got  evidence  that  you've  asked  for  it,  an'  that  you  wanted 
the  weddin'-day  sot.  You  can't  squirm  out  of  it  now, 
Horace  Orman  Tyler  Scotch." 

"Oh,  dear !"  groaned  the  little  professor,  wiping  beads 
of  cold  perspiration  from  his  face  and  looking  appealingly 
at  the  boys,  who  were  doing  their  best  to  keep  from 
shrieking  with  laughter.  "How  can  I  get  out  of  this 
trap?" 


14  The  Professor's  Dilemma. 

"I  don't  see  that  there  is  any  way  out  of  it,  professor," 
replied  Frank.  "You  will  have  to  marry  the  lady." 

"Yaw,"  chuckled  Hans.  "You  vos  caught  her  so  tight 
you  can't  neffer  git  avay." 

The  people  on  the  station  platform  had  gathered 
around,  and  were  grinning  at  what  they  saw  and  heard, 
while  others  were  looking  from  the  car  windows  and 
smiling. 

The  professor  felt  as  if  he  longed  to  sink  into  the  earth, 
and  thus  get  out  of  sight. 

"Look  here !"  he  suddenly  shouted,  standing  on  his  toes, 
so  that  he  might  bring  his  lips  as  near  the  widow's  ear  as 
posssible,  "you  have  made  a  mistake." 

"Made  what  kind  of  a  break?  That's  slang,  pro- 
fessor. I  am  shocked  to  hear  you  use  it." 

"Made  a  mistake!  Made  a  mistake!  Made  a  mis- 
take !"  shrieked  the  little  man,  getting  red  in  the  face.  "I 
never  said  I'd  marry  you !  Oh,  I  feel  like  taking  human 
life !"  he  exclaimed,  in  a  lower  tone. 

"Feel  like  making  me  your  wife!  Well,  how  be  you 
goin'  to  do  that  if  you  don't  marry  me  ?" 

It  was  impossible  for  the  boys  to  repress  their  merri- 
ment longer,  and  the  spectators  joined  with  them  in  a 
hearty  burst  of  laughter. 

By  this  time  Professor  Scotch's  face  was  the  color  of  a 
piece  of  red  flannel.  He  closed  the  umbrella,  and 
flourished  it  wildly  in  the  air,  as  he  howled : 

"What  do  you  think  I  want  of  an  old  woman  like  you,! 
who  can't  hear  a  cannon  when  it's  fired !  If  you  don't  go 
away  and  let  me  alone,  I'll  have  you  arrested  and  locked 
up  as  a  lunatic !  I  mean  business  now,  and  don't  you  for- 
get it!" 

"Don't  you  strike  me  with  that  umbrella — don't  you 
dast  do  such  a  thing !"  squawked  the  widow,  as  she  made 
a  grab  and  caught  hold  of  it.  "I  could  have  you  put  in 


The  Professor's  Dilemma.  15 

jail  for  threatenin'  me,  an'  I'll  do  it,  if  you  don't  come  to 
time  an'  make  me  your  wife." 

She  tugged  at  one  end  of  the  umbrella,  and  the  pro- 
fessor pulled  at  the  other. 

"Let  go!"  he  thundered  in  his  big,  hoarse  voice. 

"Leggo  yourself!"  snapped  the  widow,  trying  to  twist 
it  out  of  his  hands.  "I  ain't  goin'  to  give  you  another 
chance  to  hit  me  with  this  deadly  instrument." 

"All  aboard !" 

The  conductor  gave  the  cry,  and  Frank  and  Hans  has- 
tened to  get  upon  the  nearest  car.  From  the  steps  Frank 
called: 

"Come,  come,  professor!  The  train  is  going.  You'll 
be  left,  if  you  don't  look  out." 

Professor  Scotch  cast  one  wild,  despairing  look  at  the 
train. 

"All  aboard !"  called  the  conductor,  for  the  last  time. 

'The  signal  was  given  for  the  train  to  start. 

The  professor  resolved  to  abandon  the  umbrella,  and  so 
he  let  go  suddenly,  and  started  for  the  car,  which  began 
to  move. 

"No,  ye  don't !"  squealed  the  widow. 

Reaching  out  quickly,  she  caught  the  hook  at  the  end 
of  the  umbrella  handle  into  the  little  man's  collar,  and 
held  him  fast. 

"Coot -by,  brofessor!"  laughed  Hans. 

"Send  us  cards,"  called  Frank. 

But  the  professor  was  not  going  to  be  left.  WEth  a 
sudden  movement,  he  slipped  out  of  his  coat,  and  the 
widow,  who  had  been  pulling  so  hard  to  hold  him,  fell 
over  backward  and  rolled  off  the  station  platform. 

With  a  wild  leap  for  liberty,  the  professor  caught  the 
rail  and  swung  safely  onto  the  steps  of  the  moving  train. 


CHAPTER  III. 

ON     THE     TRAIN. 

"Merciful  goodness !"  gasped  the  little  professor,  as  he 
came  near  collapsing  in  a  fainting  condition.  "What  a 
narrow  escape  from  a  horrible  fate !" 

"You  do  not  seem  to  be  as  much  in  love  with  the  widow 
as  you  were  once  on  a  time,"  observed  Frank. 

"In  love  with  her — in  love  with  that  woman !"  roared 
the  professor,  in  his  big  voice.  "I  was  never  in  love  with 
her!  I  pretended  to  be,  in  order  to  make  Jenks  jealous, 
and  I  came  near  putting  my  foot  in  it.  Now  that  I  am 
away,  she  will  lay  for  him,  and  I  hope  by  all  that  is  mer- 
ciful that  she  will  get  him.  I'll  never  return  to  Fardale 
till  she  does." 

Leaning  out  from  the  steps  and  looking  back,  Frank 
saw  the  widow  scramble  to  her  feet  and  stand  on  the  plat- 
form, waving  the  umbrella,  and  screaming  after  the  train. 

"Quick,  professor!"  cried  Merriwell,  with  a  chuckle; 
"take  a  look  at  your  lady  love.  She  is  cutting  a  figure 
now." 

"She  isn't  pursuing  the  train,  is  she?"asked  Scotch,  ex- 
citedly. "She'll  overtake  it,  if  she  starts  out !" 

He  looked  back,  and  the  widow  saw  him,  which  made 
her  wave  the  umbrella  still  more  frantically,  and  shake 
her  fist  threateningly. 

The  professor  drew  back,  with  a  shudder. 

"Let's  go  into  the  car,"  he  said.  "I  feel  weak  and 
faint,  and  I  must  sit  down." 

Hans  and  the  professor  found  a  seat  together,  while 
Frank  sat  directly  behind  them. 


On  the  Train.  17 

The  people  in  the  car  greeted  the  little  man  with  grins 
and  smiles,  making  him  feel  as  if  he  would  like  to  dash 
in  and  attack  the  whole  crowd. 

"Some  people  remind  me  of  monkeys !"  he  rumbled,  in 
his  deep  voice.  "They  grin  at  everything  they  see." 

He  glared  at  a  fat  woman  in  the  opposite  seat,  and  the 
fat  woman  tried  to  look  haughty.  She  was  carrying  a 
large  covered  basket  in  her  lap. 

Frank  saw  his  opportunity  for  a  little  sport.  Being  a 
skillful  ventriloquist,  he  made  the  fat  woman  seem  to 
say: 

"People  are  always  seeing  such  things  when  they  do 
not  have  a  gun !" 

"What's  that,  madam — what's  that  you  say?"  thun- 
dered the  professor. 

"I  didn't  say  a  word,"  declared  the  fat  woman,  draw- 
ing herself  up  as  stiffly  as  she  could.  "You  are  very  pre- 
suming in  addressing  me,  sir." 

"Oh,  is  that  so !"  flung  back  the  irate  professor.  "It  is 
possible,  madam,  that  you  do  not  know  who  I  am." 

"Well,  you  look  like  a  lunatic.  I  should  advise  you  to 
hide  that  silk  hat  till  you  can  get  a  coat  to  wear.  You 
look  rather  ridiculous  sitting  in  your  shirtsleeves  with  a 
silk  hat  on  your  head." 

"This  is  a  free  country,  madam — a  free  country !" 

"Which  is  a  fortunate  thing  for  you." 

"What  do  you  mean — what  do  you  mean  by  that  ?" 

"I  decline  to  have  anything  further  to  say  to  you,  sir." 

The  fat  woman  braced  back  in  her  seat,  with  a  very 
scornful  expression  on  her  expansive  countenance. 

Just  ahead  of  the  fat  woman  a  long,  lank,  thin-necked 
farmer  was  sittin.  He  had  twisted  his  neck  around,  and 
was  watching  with  his  eyes  and  mouth  wide  open,  and  his 
ears  canted  forward,  like  those  of  a  mule  that  thinks  he 


i8  On  the  Train. 

hears  something  in  advance.  He  had  a  face  that  would 
have  made  a  funeral  procession  look  jolly  in  comparison. 

This  old  fellow  had  a  chew  of  tobaccco  in  his  mouth, 
and  the  moment  he  began  to  wag  his  jaws,  Frank  made 
him  seem  to  say : 

"That's  where  yeoure  right,  madam,  by  gosh!  Yeou 
don't  want  to  have  nothin'  to  do  with  that  air  little  runt. 
He's  a  base  deceiver  of  the  ladies,  an'  he's  runnin'  away 
from  a  gal  tew  which  he's  bin  makin'  love  an'  promised 
tew  marry." 

The  little  professor  went  into  the  air  like  a  jack-in-the- 
box,  landing  in  the  aisle. 

"You're  a  prevaricator!"  he  roared,  shaking  his  fist 
under  the  farmer's  long  nose. 

The  farmer  was  astonished. 

"D'ye  mean  me?"  he  asked,  blankly. 

"Yes,  I  mean  you !"  howled  Scotch.  "And  I  can  back 
it  up !  I  will " 

"Wai,  darn  my  skin!"  drawled  the  farmer.  "I  hain't 
opened  my  trap  tew  yeou,  but  there  kan't  no  children  git 
right  up  before  the  publick  an'  jawin'  me  without  gittin* 
spanked !" 

Then,  quick  as  thought,  he  caught  the  professor  by  the 
arm,  yanked  the  little  man  down  across  his  knees,  and  be- 
gan to  spank  him  solidly,  as  he  would  have  spanked  a 
saucy  child. 

The  entire  earful  of  people  laughed,  and  Hans  Dun- 
nerwust  came  near  having  a  fit. 

"Shimminy  Gristmas !"  laughed  the  Dutch  lad,  holding 
onto  his  sides.  "Don't  dot  peat  der  band  alretty  yet! 
Uf  dis  keeps  ub,  there  don'd  peen  nottings  left  uf  der 
brofessor  py  der  dime  we  ged  to  der  end  tud  der 
shourney." 

Scotch  roared  and  kicked,  but  the  lank  farmer  was 
strong,  and  he  held  the  little  man  helpless  till  he  was  tired 


On  the  Train.  19 

of  spanking  him.  Then  he  rose  up,  stepped  into  the  aisle, 
and  chucked  the  professor  down  into  the  seat  at  Hans' 
side,  observing: 

"There !  jest  you  set  right  there,  an'  take  keer  who  ye 
call  names  next  time.  If  yeou  try  tew  git  up,  darn  my 
skin  if  I  don't  take  off  one  of  my  shoes  an'  wear  ther  sole 
plumb  out  on  the  most  spankable  part  of  your  person !" 

The  farmer  had  a  long  neck  and  a  long  body,  but  his 
legs  were  wonders.  They  seemed  like  pipestems,  and 
they  were  so  long  that  he  looked  as  if  he  were  standing 
on  stilts.  His  head  was  away  up  in  the  top  of  the  car. 

Professor  Scotch  gazed  up  at  the  man,  and  then  col- 
lapsed. 

"It's  no  use  for  me  to  try  to  defend  myself  in  this  case," 
he  muttered,  sadly.  "There  isn't  anything  around  here 
that  I  can  stand  on  so  that  I  can  hit  him  above  the  belt." 

"That's  where  you  show  your  sense,"  said  the  farmer, 
as  he  resumed  his  seat.  "You'd  better  find  aout  the  kind 
of  people  you  call  names  afore  you  call  'em  that,  b'gosh !" 

The  professor  was  sadly  discomfited. 

"This  is  the  first  time  in  all  my  life  that  anything  of 
the  kind  ever  happened  to  me,"  he  said,  sadly.  "Half 
stripped  of  my  clothes  by  a  deaf  widow,  sauced  by  a  fat 
woman,  and  spanked  by  a  countryman  with  hayseed  in  his 
hair !  Life  has  no  terrors  for  me  now,  and  I  do  not  fear 
death !" 

"Then  it  would  be  a  fine  thing  for  you  to  commit  sui- 
cide," Frank  made  the  fat  woman  seem  to  say. 

The  professor  gave  her  a  reproachful  look,  and  then 
turned  away,  mournfully  shaking  his  head.  He  did  not 
Care  to  get  into  any  further  trouble. 

Merriwell  was  possessed  with  the  spirit  of  mischief. 
He  leaned  over  and  asked  the  professor: 

"What  do  you  suppose  she  has  in  that  basket  ?" 

"I  don't  know,"  was  the  reply.     "And  I  don't  care." 


20  On  the  Train. 

"I  will  bet  I  can  tell.  She  has  two  live  pigs  in  there, 
or  I  am  greatly  mistaken." 

"Get  out !"  exclaimed  Scotch.  "Are  you  trying  to  have 
some  more  fun  at  my  expense  ?" 

"Not  at  all,  professor.  You  know  that  even  very 
young  pigs  give  themselves  away  by  certain  peculiarities. 
Now  she  is  plainly  a  lady  who  wishes  to  be  considered  as 
perfectly  proper  in  her  way,  and  she  would  be  rather  em- 
barrassed if  it  were  known  that  she  is  carrying  pigs 
about  in  a  passenger  car,  even  though  such  places  are 
sometimes  frequented  by  hogs  who  take  entire  seats  to 
themselves." 

"If  she  is  carrying  pigs  in  that  basket,  I'd  like  to  know 
it,"  said  the  professor.  "I'd  complain  to  the  conductor, 
and  have  that  basket  removed  to  the  baggage  car." 

"Well,  listen — you  may  hear  them." 

And  it  was  not  long  before  everybody  in  that  vicinity 
seemed  to  hear  the  grunting  of  one  or  more  small  pigs, 
and  the  sounds  appeared  to  come  from  the  fat  woman's 
basket.  The  fat  woman  herself  looked  around  in  sur- 
prise, not  being  able  to  locate  the  sounds. 

Professor  Scotch  was  electrified. 

"I'll  get  even  with  her!"  he  delightedly  whispered  to 
the  boys.  "Wait  till  the  conductor  comes  around  to  take 
up  the  tickets." 

Long  before  the  conductor  appeared,  Frank  had  caused 
the  mythical  pigs  to  attract  the  attention  of  everybody 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  basket. 

When  the  conductor  demanded  Professor  Scotch's 
ticket,  that  worthy  assumed  a  very  indignant  air,  and 
asked: 

"Is  a  man  compelled  to  pay  first-class  fare  and  travel 
in  the  same  car  with  swine,  sir?" 

"Ticket,  please,"  said  the  conductor,  loftily,  without 
deigning  to  notice  the  question. 


On  the  Train.  21 

l,  sir,"  returned  Scotch,  haughtily,  "you'll  receive 
no  ticket  from  me  till  certain  swine  are  removed  from 
this  car.  I  know  my  rights,  sir,  and  I  will  stand  on 
them.  I  am  not  speaking  of  human  swine,  either ;  I  mean 
pigs,  sir,  pigs !" 

"You  must  be  loony !"  said  the  conductor. 

"Well,  sir,  I  am  not.  This  woman  here  with  the  bas- 
ket, is  carrying  pigs  about  in  a  car  that  is  set  apart  for 
human  beings.  It  is  an  outrage,  and  I  demand  that  the 
basket  and  its  contents  be  removed." 

The  conductor  looked  at  the  fat  woman,  and  then  at  the 
basket. 

"It  is  a  base  fabrication !"  exclaimed  the  highly-indig- 
nant woman,  her  face  getting  crimson.  "That  man  must 
be  a  lunatic !  Pigs,  indeed !" 

Then  she  lifted  the  cover  of  the  basket,  and  showed 
that  it  was  quite  empty. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

FURTHER     EXCITEMENT. 

Professor  Scotch  had  half  risen,  so  that  he  might  get  a 
good  look  into  the  basket.  When  he  saw  that  it  was 
empty,  he  gave  a  groan  of  mingled  astonishment  and  dis- 
may, and  dropped  back  limply  in  his  seat. 

"I  have  just  been  on  a  visrt  to  my  daughter,"  explained 
the  indignant  fat  woman,  "and  I  took  her  a  few  things  in 
this  basket  which  I  am  carrying  home.  That  insolent, 
insignificant,  half-clothed  creature  began  by  insulting  me 
the  moment  he  entered  the  car,  and  this  is  his  crowning 
effort.  I  think  he  is  crazy." 

"But — but,"  weakly  stammered  the  professor,  "we  all 
heard  the  pigs  grunting,  and  the  sound  seemed  to  come 
from  that  basket,  so  I " 

"Hand  over  your  ticket,"  demanded  the  conductor, 
crushingly.  "You  certainly  appear  to  be  dangerous,  and 
it  is  my  opinion  that  you  ought  to  be  confined  where  you 
can  do  no  harm.  If  you  annoy  this  lady  further,  I  shall 
feel  it  my  duty  to  have  you  ejected  from  the  train  at  the 
first  station." 

Never  was  a  man  more  completely  broken  up  than  was 
Professor  Scotch  at  that  moment.  He  felt  through  his 
pockets  for  his  ticket,  but  could  not  find  it,  which  added 
to  his  agitation  and  dismay. 

"I — I  believe  I  have  lost  my  ticket,  sir,"  he  stammered. 
"I  certainly  had  it,  but " 

"This  railroad  does  not  propose  to  carry  beats,  and,  as 
we  are  running  ahead  of  time,  I  think  we'll  drop  you  right 
here,"  said  the  conductor,  as  he  reached  for  the  bell-cord. 


Further  Excitement.  23 

"Hold  on!  hold  on!"  fluttered  the  professor.  "The 
ticket  was  in  my  coat ;  I  have  lost  my  coat,  but  I  have  my 
purse.  I  can  pay  my  way,  and  I'd  have  you  know  I  am 
no  beat.  Appearances  may  be  against  me,  but " 

"Ninety-five  cents,"  came  sharply  from  the  conductor's 
lips,  as  he  saw  the  professor  produce  his  money.  "That 
will  take  you  to  the  next  station,  where  you  must  obtain 
a  ticket  to  your  destination.  You  can  get  a  rebate  of  ten 
cents  on  this  ticket  at  any  station  on  this  line." 

He  rapidly  punched  out  a  slip  as  he  spoke,  and  this  he 
gave  to  the  professor,  who  paid  for  it. 

Frank  and  Hans  had  their  tickets  ready,  and  the  con- 
ductor soon  passed  on,  but,  before  doing  so,  he  assured 
the  fat  woman  that  she  should  be  protected  from  further 
annoyance. 

"Young  gentlemen,"  said  the  professor,  turning  to  his 
companions  for  sympathy,  "this  is  certainly  the  most  hu- 
miliating day  of  my  life.  Never  before  have  I  passed 
through  such  an  experience,  and  I  never  want  to  again." 

"Veil,  I  don'd  plame  you  for  dot,  brofessor,"  grinned 
Hans.  "It  don'd  peen  some  fun  for  you,  ain'd  id  ?" 

"Not  much !     I  am  nearly  prostrated." 

"Brace  up,  professor,"  said  Frank,  encouragingly. 
"You're  all  right.  Those  pigs  are  somewhere,  and  I  be- 
lieve they  were  in  that  basket." 

"Then  what  became  of  them  ?" 

"The  woman  must  have  hidden  them  under  her  clothes. 
I  am  keeping  watch  of  her  to  see  that  she  does  not  put 
them  back  into  the  basket.  If  you  can  find  those  pigs, 
you  will  be  exonerated." 

"And  I  demand  exoneration !"  rumbled  Scotch,  fiercely. 
"What  was  that?" 

This  exclamation  was  produced  by  a  smothered  grunt- 
ing that  came  from  some  mysterious  locality. 


24  Further  Excitement. 

"It  sounded  like  those  pigs,"  said  Frank. 

The  professor  was  now  greatly  excited,  and  he  listened 
attentively,  determined  to  locate  the  mysterious  pigs. 

Of  a  sudden,  a  strange  squealing,  smothered,  but  dis- 
tinct, was  heard  by  every  one  in  the  car.  The  conductor, 
who  was  about  to  pass  through  into  the  next  car,  stopped 
and  looked  round  in  amazement. 

Professor  Scotch  leaped  into  the  aisle,  exclaiming : 

"Ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  call  on  you  to  witness  that  I 
spoke  the  truth  when  I  claimed  there  were  swine  in  this 
car!  They  are  here  somewhere,  for  you  can  all  hear 
them  now." 

The  squealing  continued.  It  semed  to  come  from  be- 
neath the  seat  where  the  fat  woman  was  sitting. 

Down  went  the  professor  on  his  knees,  and  began  to 
claw  around  under  the  seat. 

The  fat  woman  gave  a  shriek,  and  climbed  as  quickly 
as  possible  upon  the  seat,  from  which  position  she  reached 
down  and  belted  the  professor  over  the  head  with  the 
basket. 

"You  horrid  man !"  she  cried. 

The  squealing  continued,  growing  more  distinct. 

"I'll  find  those  pigs  or  perish  in  the  attempt !"  roared 
Scotch,  as  he  clawed  about  wildly  beneath  the  seat. 

The  squealing  now  seemed  to  come  from  beneath  the 
next  seat,  and  the  countryman  began  to  grow  excited. 

"That  is  a  pig,  b'gosh !"  he  shouted,  as  he  doubled  up 
and  tried  to  look  under  the  seats.  "Critter  saounds  'zif 
it  was  hungry.  Hey,  you  little  rooster!  where  be  ye? 
Come  aout  of  this !" 

But  the  squealing  swiftly  moved  to  the  next  seat,  where 
two  demure  maidens  were  sitting,  and  they  lost  no  time  in 
attempting  to  climb  to  a  safe  place  on  the  back  of  the  seat. 

Down  the  car  went  the  sound,  and,  in  less  than  ten 
seconds,  the  entire  place  was  in  an  uproar. 


Further  Excitement.  25 

The  two  demure  maidens  were  clinging  to  each  other 
and  trying  to  balance  themselves  on  the  back  of  the  seat, 
while  they  cried : 

"Help !  help !     Save  us !" 

"All  right,"  came  gallantly  from  Frank  Merri well's ; 
lips,  as  he  hastened  across  the  aisle,  incidentally  stepping 
on  the  small  of  Professor  Scotch's  back,  as  that  worthy 
was  still  trying  to  discover  the  pigs  under  the  car  seats. 

"Wow !"  roared  the  professor.  "My  spine  is  fractured ! 
I'll  sue  this  railroad  for  damages!" 

"Help!"  shrieked  the  demure  maidens,  again. 

"Depend  on  me,"  said  Frank,  as  he  reached  them,  and 
kept  them  from  falling  into  the  aisle. 

One  of  the  girls  threw  her  arms  about  his  neck,  and 
clung  to  him  with  all  her  strength. 

"Shimminy  Gristmas !"  gurgled  Hans.  "Uf  I  don'd 
peen  in  dot  righd  avay,  I  vos  slow !" 

He  hurried  across  the  aisle  as  swiftly  as  he  could,  and 
addressed  the  girl  who  was  not  clinging  to  Frank. 

"Oxcuse  me;  mein  neck  vos  ad  your  service,  young 
laty.  Uf  you  ged  holt  uf  id  dight,  I  don'd  let  more  as 
sefendeen  regiments  uf  peegs  do  nottings  to  you." 

"Oh,  I  am  dreadfully  frightened !"  gasped  the  girl.  "I 
am  afraid  of  such  horrid  things !  It  is  real  good  of  you 
to  offer  your  protection." 

Then  she  came  near  losing  her  balance,  and  was  forced 
to  clasp  him  around  the  neck  in  the  same  way  that  the 
other  girl  had  clasped  Frank. 

"Yum,  yum !"  gurgled  the  Dutch  boy.  "Don'd  I  vos 
glat  I  come !" 

At  this  moment  one  of  the  train  hands  opened  the  door, 
and  there  came  a  joyful  squeal  from  that  locality,  as  if 
the  mysterious  pigs  were  delighted  to  obtain  some  fresh 
air.  The  sound  seemed  to  come  from  the  train-hand's 


26  Further  Excitement. 

feet,  and  he  made  a  wild  jump  into  the  air,  craning  his 
neck  to  look  downward. 

Then  the  squealing  seemed  to  come  from  the  outside  of 
the  car,  and,  of  a  sudden,  it  ceased  entirely. 

"Them  pigs  has  got  oaut  an'  run  off  the  car,  b'gosh !" 
shouted  the  tall  farmer. 

"But  everybody  present  knows  they  were  in  this  car !" 
roared  Professor  Scotch,  struggling  to  his  feet  and  con- 
fronting the  conductor.  "You  owe  me  an  apology,  sir !" 

The  other  passengers  were  highly  indignant,  and  they 
crowded  about  the  conductor,  using  threatening  language 
and  gestures,  so  that  he  was  glad  to  break  away  and 
plunge  precipitately  from  the  car. 

It  was  some  time  before  the  excitement  subsided. 

When  Professor  Scotch  began  to  cool  down  some- 
what, he  looked  around  for  his  two  youthful  companions. 
He  found  them  without  any  trouble.  They  were  seated 
and  chatting  reassuringly,  with  the  demure  maidens  at 
their  sides. 

"How  you  vos,  brofessor,"  nodded  Hans,  as  the  wild- 
eyed  little  man  regarded  them  in  astonishmnet. 

"Bah !"  roared  the  professor,  and  he  went  off  to  a  cor- 
ner seat,  where  he  sat  and  enjoyed  himself  immensely 
for  some  time  by  hating  all  mankind. 


CHAPTER  V. 

FRANK  INTRODUCES  THE  PROFESSOR. 

The  professor  grew  fearful  that  Nancy  Cobb  would 
wire  an  order  for  his  arrest  at  the  next  station ;  but  noth- 
ing of  the  kind  occurred,  and  he  was  able  to  purchase  a 
ticket  and  continue  the  journey. 

Not  having  time  to  stop  anywhere  long  enough  to  pur- 
chase a  coat  at  a  clothing  store,  he  succeeded  in  buying  a 
light-weight  overcoat  of  a  passenger. 

As  the  original  owner  of  the  coat  was  a  large  man,  it 
did  not  fit  Professor  Scotch  very  well,  but  he  made  the 
best  of  it,  and  found  that  he  attracted  much  less  atten- 
tion than  when  he  was  sitting  in  his  shirtsleeves,  with  his 
silk  hat  decorously  perched  on  his  head. 

Frank  and  Hans  seemed  to  enjoy  themselves  very  much 
chatting  and  laughing  with  their  new  acquaintances,  and 
the  professor  was  left  by  himself  till  the  girls  came  to 
their  stopping  place,  which  was  not  far  from  midday. 

The  boys  gallantly  helped  the  girls  from  the  train,  and 
lingered  with  them  till  the  train  was  about  to  start  again. 
Then  they  boarded  the  train  and  waved  their  handker- 
chiefs to  the  girls  as  long  as  they  were  in  sight. 

They  found  Professor  Scotch  still  humped  up  in  a  cor- 
ner of  the  car,  looking  extremely  disgusted  and  discon- 
solate. 

"Well,  professor,"  said  Frank,  lightly,  "I  hope  you  are 
enjoying  the  journey." 

"Oh,  I  am!"  growled  the  little  man,  like  an  enraged 
mastiff.  "I  am  having  such  a  delightful  time  that  I  feel 


28         Frank  Introduces  the  Professor. 

like  committing  suicide  for  fear  I  will  be  pleased  to  death ! 
This  has  been  one  grand,  hilarious  picnic  from  the  start ! 
It  has  been  nearly  as  funny  as  marrying  the  Widow 
Cobb !" 

"Oh,  I  am  glad  you  are  finding  it  so  pleasant,"  came 
innocently  from  Frank's  lips.  "Now,  Hans  and  I 
have " 

"Been  making  fools  of  yourselves !  I  looked  out  of  the 
window  and  saw  it  all.  Everybody  in  the  car  laughed." 

"Well,  it  is  a  pleasant  thing  to  furnish  amusement  for 
some  people.  I  think  you  will  continue  to  enjoy  yourself 
when  you  reach  The  Elms." 

"The  Elms?    Where's  that?" 

"That  is  the  old  colonial  place  owned  by  my  uncle. 
You  will  find  Uncle  Asher  a  very  gentle,  mild-mannered 
man.  He  has  a  few  peculiar  ideas  that  you  will  do  well 
to  humor." 

"Indeed?  It  will  be  well  enough  to  let  me  know  what 
they  are." 

"Certainly.  In  the  first  place,  he  is  a  great  admirer 
of  the  new  woman.  He  believes  in  women's  rights." 

"Well,  he  must  be  a  fool!"  roared  Scotch.  "Women 
have  too  many  rights  now !" 

"Well,  you  may  hold  such  an  opinion,  and  my  uncle 
may  think  differently.  I  advise  you  to  humor  him,  and 
you  will  do  well  to  mention  at  an  early  date  that  you  are 
an  ardent  believer  in  women's  rights." 

"I'll  try  to  do  so ;  but  it  may  choke  me.  What  other 
peculiar  ideas  does  your  uncle  entertain?" 

"He  is  a  personal  friend  of  Dr.  Mary  Walker,  and  he 
believes  that  women  should  be  given  the  privilege  to  dress 
like  men,  if  they  so  desire." 

Professor  Scotch  growled  his  deep  disgust. 

"He  is  also  something  of  a  temperance  crank,"  con- 
tinued Frank.  "It  is  one  of  his  beliefs  that  a  person  who 


Frank  Introduces  the  Professor.        29 

touches  liquor  is  utterly  depraved.  You  will  do  well  to 
ask  him  how  the  Good  Templars  are  prospering  in  his 
vicinity." 

"Doesn't  he  believe  in  the  moderate  use  of  alcohol  for 
medicinal  purposes?" 

"He  believes  it  is  a  creation  of  the  Evil  One,  and  he 
will  not  tolerate  it  for  any  purpose." 

The  professor  groaned. 

"He  has  other  peculiarities  which  I  will  enumerate 
later,"  added  Frank,  airily. 

At  noon  they  stopped  for  refreshments  at  a  station  res- 
taurant, and  it  was  mid-afternoon  when  they  arrived  at 
Bloomfield,  the  end  of  the  journey  for  Frank  and  the 
professor,  who  bade  Hans  farewell,  as  he  was  going  on 
to  the  next  town. 

Frank  had  not  telegraphed  that  he  was  coming,  and 
so  they  found  no  one  at  the  station  to  meet  them. 

"It  is  probable  Uncle  Asher  is  not  looking  for  me  before 
to-morrow,"  he  said.  "We'll  walk  over,  and  give  him  a 
surprise.  It  is  not  very  far." 

The  village  of  Bloomfield  seemed  fast  asleep.  It  was 
a  quiet  old  place,  with  many  ancient  houses. 

At  a  distance  beyond  the  outskirts  of  the  village,  they 
came  in  view  of  a  large,  old-fashioned  house  and  other 
buildings,  which  were  surrounded  by  lofty  elms.  Every- 
thing about  the  place  was  in  a  state  of  perfect  repair,  and 
it  was  plainly  the  home  of  a  country  gentleman  of  means. 

"That  is  The  Elms,"  said  Frank,  with  pride.  "It  has 
been  the  home  of  our  family  for  generations.  It  passed 
from  my  grandfather's  hands ;  but  Uncle  Asher  bought 
it  back,  with  the  intention  of  passing  the  last  days  of  his 
life  here." 

Professor  Scotch  was  delighted  with  the  beauties  of 
the  place,  and  expressed  himself  freely. 

"Ah,"  he  said,  "we  are  sure  to  spend  our  time  quietly 


50         Frank  Introduces  the  Professor. 

and  peacefully  while  we  remain  here.  Now  I  am  glad  I 
came." 

"We  will  go  round  to  the  back  door,"  said  Frank.  "I 
want  to  make  the  surprise  as  pleasant  as  possible  for 
Uncle  Asher.  Follow  me,  and  I  will  take  you  right  into 
the  house." 

So  Frank  led  the  way,  and  they  entered  from  the  back 
door,  which  was  unfastened. 

Frank  led  the  way  toward  the  library,  and  they  en- 
countered no  one.  The  old  house,  which  was  magnifi- 
cently furnished  in  antique  style,  seemed  deserted  till 
Frank  threw  open  the  library  door. 

At  that  moment  a  voice  roared : 

"I  didn't  ask  for  this,  you  blundering  black  rascal! 
What  do  you  mean  by  bringing  me  a  bootjack  when  I  am 
in  my  slippers?" 

Frank  saw  something  coming  through  the  air,  and 
dodged.  The  professor  did  not  see  it,  and  he  did  not 
dodge. 

The  bootjack,  for  such  it  was,  struck  the  professor  over 
the  left  eye  and  knocked  him  flat  in  a  moment. 

The  unfortunate  man  gave  a  roar  of  astonishment  and 
pain. 

Then  a  voice  was  heard  crying : 

"Golly  sakes  alibe,  massa,  dere's  buglers  in  dis  house 
fo'  suah !  Dat  bootjack  hit  done  knock  one  ob  'em  ober 
flat!" 

Frank  had  fallen  back  from  the  door,  not  caring  to  en- 
counter any  missiles  that  might  follow  the  bootjack. 

"Burglars,  eh  ?"  shouted  the  voice  of  the  first  speaker. 
"Well,  I've  prepared  for  anything !" 

Then  a  large,  florid-faced  man  came  rushing  out  of  the 
library,  and  flung  himself  heavily  on  the  little  professor, 
who  was  just  starting  to  get  up. 

"Lie  still,  you  scoundrel!"  roared  the  big  man,  as  he 


Frank  Introduces  the  Professor.        31 

fished  around  in  his  hip-pocket,  and  finally  succeeded  in 
bringing  forth  a  revolver.  "Lie  still,  or  I  will  have  your 
life!  I  bought  this  revolver  to-day,  and  it's  warranted 
to  be  a  first-class  shooting-iron !" 

"Mercy !"  hoarsely  gurgled  the  professor. 

"I'll  give  you  mercy  in  jail,  where  you  belong.    Toots !" 

"Yessar." 

The  face  of  a  coal-black  darky  appeared  at  the  library 
door. 

"Bring  me  some  rope  to  bind  this  fellow  with,  you 
black  rascal!" 

"All  right,  sar." 

"Hold  on,  Toots,"  said  Frank.  "You  needn't  bother 
about  it.  Uncle  Asher,  allow  me  the  great  pleasure  of 
introducing  you  to  Professor  Scotch,  of  Fardale  Acad- 
emy, on  whose  stomach  you  are  sitting  at  this  moment." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

STILL    MORE    TROUBLE. 

"Golly  sakes  to  goodness !"  squealed  Toots,  in  delight. 
"Why,  it  am  Massa  Frank !" 

"Eh,  eh?"  grunted  Mr.  Merriwell,  still  retaining  his 
seat  astride  Professor  Scotch,  and  staring  at  the  boy  in 
astonishment.  "Frank?  Wihy,  I  didn't  expect " 

"We  came  in  by  the  back  way,  thinking*  to  give  you  a 
slight  surprise,  uncle." 

"But  I  rather  think  the  surprise  came  the  other  way," 
groaned  the  professor,  clasping  a  hand  over  the  eye  that 
had  been  struck  by  the  bootjack. 

"Well,  blow  me  wide!"  gurgled  Asher  Merriwell,  in 
amazement. 

Indeed  he  was  so  greatly  amazed  that  he  continued  to 
sit  heavily  upon  the  professor;  and,  as  he  weighed  not 
far  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  the  man  at  the 
bottom  was  far  from  comfortable. 

"Er — excuse  me,"  gasped  Scotch.  "You  seem  to  be 
crushing  my  liver-pad.  If  you  will  rise  long  enough  for 
me  to  remove  it,  I  shall  then  be  quite  pleased  to  have 
you  sit  on  me  till  you  get  tired." 

"I  beg  your  pardon — I  beg  your  pardon!"  spluttered 
Uncle  Asher.  "Here,  Toots,  you  ebony  villain,  give  me 
a  hand,  and  help  me  arise !" 

"Permit  me,  uncle,"  said  Frank,  quickly,  thrusting 
Toots  aside. 

Grasping  his  uncle's  hand,  the  mischievous  fellow 
cried : 


Still  More  Trouble.  33 

"Now  we  come — all  together,  rise !" 

He  gave  a  surge,  and  pulled  Mr.  Merriwell  half-way 
to  his  feet.  Then  their  hold  on  each  other's  hands  broke, 
and  the  corpulent  gentleman  fell  back  heavily  upon  the 
unhappy  professor,  driving  the  breath  from  the  little 
man's  lips. 

"Oh,  golly!"  giggled  Toots,  doubling  up  with  merri- 
ment, and  clasping  both  hands  over  his  mouth  to  keep 
from  bursting  into  a  shriek  of  laughter. 

"Er — Frank,  Frank,  Frank!"  spluttered  Uncle  Asher. 
"Be  careful !  The  professor  may  be  injured  in  this  man- 
ner." 

"Oh,  no!"  came  faintly,  but  fiercely,  from  Scotch's 
lips.  "Don't  mind  me!  If  you  find  any  pleasure  in  it, 
jump  on  me  with  both  feet.  You  won't  harm  me  in  the 
least !  I  am  made  of  iron ;  I  haven't  any  feeling  at  all." 

"My  dear  sir,"  said  Mr.  Merriwell,  sternly,  "I  presume 
you  mean  that  such  sarcasm  shall  be  very  cutting.  I  am 
not  pleased  to  be  addressed  in  such  a  manner — not  at  all." 

"Well,  I  am  delighted  to  be  knocked  down  with  a 
bootjack,  jumped  on  by  a  man  who  weighs  a  ton  and 
threatened  with  a  loaded  revolver !  Such  a  reception  fills 
my  soul  with  delight !" 

"An  unfortunate  mistake  has  occurred  here,  but  it  is 
of  small  consequence." 

"Oh,  yes,  it  is  a  very  insignificant  affair!  I  still  live, 
so  it  is  of  no  consequence.  Would  you  mind  shifting 
your  position  a  trifle,  so  that  I  may  feel  myself  over  to 
learn  how  many  of  my  ribs  are  broken  ?" 

"Here,  Frank,  get  hold  again !" 

"Hold  on !"  faintly  roared  the  professor.  "If  it  is  going 
to  be  the  same  thing  over  again,  I  had  much  rather  you 
remain  seated !" 

"We  will  endeavor  to  make  it  a  success  this  time.    Cling 


34  Still  More  Trouble. 

fast,  Frank !  Toots,  give  me  a  push  behind !  Now—- 
heave away !" 

This  time  Uncle  Asher  was  lifted  to  his  feet,  and  a 
great  groan  of  relief  came  from  the  professor's  lips. 

"This  is  a  very  unfortunate  affair,  professor,"  said 
Frank,  as  he  lifted  the  little  man  to  his  feet;  "but  you 
are  still  alive,  for  which  you  should  be  thankful." 

"I  am.  I  have  passed  through  the  most  deadly  perils 
to-day." 

"Sir,"  said  Mr.  Merriwell,  "I  welcome  you  to  my 
home.  I  am  very  glad  to  meet  my  son's  instructor.  I 
will  send  to  the  kitchen  immediately  for  a  slice  of  steak 
to  be  bound  over  that  eye,  for  I  see  that  it  threatens  to 
turn  black." 

"You  are  very  kind!"  murmured  Professor  Scotch,  as 
he  staggered  forward  and  collapsed  into  a  chair. 

Toots  was  dispatched  for  the  slice  of  steak. 

"My  dear  boy !"  exclaimed  Uncle  Asher,  embracing 
Frank,  "I  am  delighted  to  see  you  once  more !  You  are 
looking  well  and  brown  as  a  berry.  Cadet  life  must 
agree  with  you." 

"It  does,  uncle.  But  you  seem  to  be  looking  well,  also. 
I  expected  to  find  you  an  invalid.  In  your  letter  you  asked 
me  to  hasten  here,  saying  you  were  not  very  well." 

"I  did  not  feel  well  at  the  time." 

"What  was  the  matter?" 

"That  I  will  explain  later.  I  have  some  strange  things 
to  tell  you." 

Toots  soon  returned  with  the  slice  of  steak,  and,  with 
the  aid  of  a  handkerchief,  this  was  bound  over  Professor 
Scotch's  left  eye. 

"You  know  where  your  old  room  is,  Frank,"  said  Mr. 
Merriwell.  "The  professor  will  be  given  the  guests' 
chamber.  I  will  send  to  the  station  at  once  for  your  lug- 
gage. Give  Toots  the  checks." 


Still  More  Trouble.  35 

Frank  handed  the  checks  to  the  darky,  who  was  of 
uncertain  age,  and  had  a  face  that  continually  wore  a 
repressed  grin. 

When  Toots  had  departed,  Frank  said : 

"I  think  I  will  run  up  to  my  room.  It  seems  so  good 
to  get  back  to  the  old  place !  Professor,  I  will  leave  you 
with  Uncle  Asher." 

The  little  man  looked  alarmed,  and  beckoned  for  Frank 
to  approach.  When  the  boy  came  near  the  chair  on  which 
the  professor  was  sitting,  Scotch  grasped  his  arm  and 
pulled  him  down,  to  whisper  in  his  ear : 

"Is  it  safe?  Isn't  there  danger  that  he  will  become 
violent  again?  My  shattered  system  will  not  endure 
much  more  of  this  business." 

"Why,  uncle  is  one  of  the  mildest  men  in  the  world,'1 
Frank  whispered  back. 

"Hum !"  coughed  the  professor,  doubtingly.  "He  may 
be — he  may  be,  but  he  has  a  queer  way  of  showing  it." 

"That's  all  right.  He  is  a  trifle  odd;  but  you  will 
soon  come  to  understand  each  other.  Remember  what  I 
told  you  about  his  peculiar  likes  and  dislikes,  and  you 
will  soon  be  getting  along  famously  with  him." 

Then  Frank  skipped  away,  and  hurried  upstairs. 

Mr.  Merriwell  was  standing  with  his  hands  under  the 
tails  of  his  dressing-gown,  pretending  to  look  out  of  a 
window.  He  turned  round  slowly,  and  found  the  pro- 
fessor steadily  regarding  him  with  his  uninjured  eye. 

"Hem !"  coughed  Uncle  Asher. 

"Hum !"  coughed  the  professor. 

"This  is  a  world  of  progress,"  said  Uncle  Asher,  by 
way  of  saying  something. 

"It  is,  indeed,"  agreed  the  professor.  "We  have  the 
railroad,  the  telegraph,  the  telephone,  the  new  Roentgen 
system  of  photography,  and  the  new  woman.  Of  all 


36  Still  More  Trouble. 

these  things,  the  new  woman  is  by  far  the  greatest  and 
grandest." 

"Humph!"  grunted  Uncle  Asher. 

"I  have  always  been  a  sincere  admirer  of  Dr.  Mary 
Walker,"  continued  the  professor.  "I  believe  womeri 
should  be  encouraged  to  adopt  male  attire." 

"Woosh!"  snorted  Uncle  Asher,  beginning  to  pace  up 
and  down  the  room. 

"When  women  are  allowed  to  vote  and  permitted  to 
wear  male  attire,"  continued  the  professor,  thinking  his 
companion's  agitation  came  from  satisfaction,  "the  golden 
age  will  again  have  dawned  upon  the  world." 

"Rot!"  roared  Mr.  Merriwell,  fiercely.  "Confounded 
rot,  sir!  I  took  you  to  be  a  man  of  intelligence !" 

"And  I  pride  myself  that  I  am,"  snapped  the  professor, 
stiffening  up.  "I  believe  you  are  a  personal  friend  of 
Dr.  Mary  Walker,  sir?" 

"You're  a  lunatic!  Do  you  think  that  I  would  have 
anything  to  do  with  a  woman  who  wears  men's  clothes? 
Whoop!  Stuck  on  the  new  woman,  are  you?  Well, 
you're  the  biggest  fool  I  have  seen  in  a  year !" 

"What's  that  ?"  roared  the  professor,  who  had  endured 
about  all  he  could  for  one  day.  "Call  me  a  fool  ?  Well, 
you're  another !  You  are  a  lunatic,  sir — a  raving  maniac ! 
I  wouldn't  remain  beneath  your  roof  another  hour  if 
you  would  give  me  the  place !  I  shall  leave  immediately !" 

"Well,  that  will  save  me  the  trouble  of  kicking  you 
out !" 

"Kicking  me!"  thundered  the  professor,  in  his  big, 
hoarse  voice.  "If  you  dared  so  much  as  lift  a  foot  against 
me,  I— I— I " 

He  pranced  over  and  shook  his  fist  fiercely  beneath  Mr. 
Merriwell's  nose. 


Still  More  Trouble.  37 

About  one  second  later,  Frank  heard  a  racket  that 
brought  him  downstairs  on  the  double-quick. 

Slam !  bang !  crash !  The  sounds  that  came  from  the 
library  seemed  to  indicate  that  something  was  happening 
inside. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A    STARTLING    ASSERTION. 

Frank  pushed  open  the  door,  and  sprang  into  the  room. 

The  professor  and  Uncle  Asher  were  engaged  in  a 
rough-and-tumble  battle,  and,  having  been  enraged  to  a 
point  that  was  far  beyond  his  endurance,  Scotch  was 
giving  Mr.  Merriwell  a  very  lively  tussle. 

They  had  upset  a  table,  smashed  a  lamp,  broken  glass 
from  the  door  of  a  bookcase,  and  done  other  damage,  but 
they  kept  right  on  at  each  other  merrily. 

"Call  me  a  lunatic,  will  you!"  shouted  Mr.  Merriwell, 
as  he  hit  the  professor  a  good  one  on  his  injured  eye. 
"Accuse  me  of  being  friendly  with  Dr.  Mary  Walker! 
Whoop!" 

"Call  me  a  fool,  will  you !"  roared  the  professor,  strik- 
ing back  blindly.  "Threaten  to  kick  me  out  of  the  house, 
will  you !  I'll  be  avenged,  or  I  will  perish  in  the  attempt !" 

Frank  rushed  forward,  crying: 

"Stop,  Uncle  Asher!  Stop,  professor!  This  is  dis- 
graceful !  There  is  some  mistake !" 

"That's  right!"  howled  Uncle  Asher.  "You  made  a 
mistake  in  bringing  such  a  creature  into  my  house !" 

"And  you  made  a  mistake  in  calling  me  a  fool !"  bel- 
lowed Professor  Scotch.  "Is  this  the  mild  and  gentle 
uncle  you  told  me  about,  boy?  He  is  a  perfect  old  can- 
nibal!" 

"If  this  little  pirate  is  your  favorite  instructor,  I  am 
going  to  keep  you  away  from  Fardale  Academy,"  de- 
clared Frank's  uncle. 


A  Startling  Assertion.  39 

At  this  moment  they  both  tripped  and  fell,  but  Pro- 
fessor Scotch  was  again  underneath. 

The  back  of  the  professor's  head  struck  the  floor  with 
such  violence  that  he  was  stunned ;  and  when  he  recov- 
ered he  found  himself  in  bed,  with  the  village  doctor  in 
attendance. 

"Is  there  any  hope  for  death,  doctor?"  asked  the  pro- 
fessor, hollowly,  when  he  found  the  man  at  the  bedside 
was  a  physician.  "I  trust  I  am  in  no  danger  of  recov- 
ering?" 

"You  will  be  all  right  to-morrow,"  assured  the  physi- 
cian, in  a  manner  intended  to  be  cheerful.  "You  are 
shaken  up  and  bruised,  as  if  you  had  passed  through  a 
railroad  accident;  but,  although  you  may  be  lame  and 
stiff  for  a  day  or  two,  you  will  eventually  come  out  all 
right.  You  have  a  strong  constitution." 

"And  must  I  remain  beneath  this  roof  a  single  night?" 

"You  must  not  leave  this  bed  till  I  call  again.  Your 
condition  demands  absolute  rest.  I  have  left  here  on  this 
stand  at  the  head  of  the  bed  liniments  and  lotions,  and 
have  given  young  'Mf.  ,Merriwell  full  directions  for  their 
application.  It  will  be  several  days  before  the  discolora- 
tion will  entirely  leave  your  eyes." 

"Doctor." 

"Well,  sir?" 

"Did  I  kill  him?" 

"Whom?" 

"That  infernal  old  fiend  who  assaulted  me  with  a  boot- 
jack, and  attempted  to  assassinate  me  with  a  loaded  re- 
volver?" 

"Mr.  Merriwell  ?" 

"Yes." 

"He  does  not  seem  to  be  harmed  at  all." 

"Then  let  me  die,  doctor !" 

"Nonsense!    You  must  be  crazy!     Why,  Mr.  Mem- 


40  A  Startling  Assertion. 

well  says  it  was  all  an  accident.  You  need  rest.  Here, 
take  this  powder." 

The  doctor  forced  Scotch  to  swallow  the  powder,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  the  professor  sunk  into  deep 
slumber. 

In  the  meantime  Frank  was  doing  his  best  to  soothe  his 
uncle's  ruffled  feelings. 

"This  man  may  die,  Uncle,"  he  said.  "You  have  as- 
saulted him  in  a  terrible  manner." 

"He  brought  it  on  himself!"  shouted  Asher,  walking 
wildly  up  and  down  amid  the  ruins  of  the  library.  "Wjhy, 
the  wretch  even  accused  me  of  being  friendly  with  Dr. 
Mary  Walker!" 

"Then  he  must  have  misunderstood  me.  I  have  always 
known  that  you  regarded  Dr.  Mary  Walker  with  scorn, 
and  I  said  something  about  it  to  the  professor  on  the 
train.  He  may  have  thought  that  I  said  you  were  friendly 
with  her." 

"He  upheld  the  new  woman,  and  he  even  went  so  far 
as  to  say  that  he  thought  it  would  be  a  fine  thing  for 
women  to  wear  male  attire !  He  ought  to  die !" 

"Now,  I  am  quite  sure  the  professor  holds  views  ex- 
actly the  opposite,  and  so  I  am  led  to  infer  that  he  mis- 
understood me  again,  for  I  spoke  of  your  ideas  on  this 
point." 

"Well,  in  case  he  prevaricated,  he  deserves  what  he  got. 
Look  at  the  ruin  he  wrought  here!  Fifty  dollars  will 
not  begin  to  replace  the  articles  broken." 

"In  case  Professor  Scotch  should  die,  it  would  be 
proved  that  you  assaulted  him  with  a  loaded  revolver,  and 
you  might  find  yourself  in  serious  trouble." 

Uncle  Asher  began  to  look  worried. 

"Oh,  there  can't  be  any  likelihood  of  his  dying." 

"I  don't  know  about  that.     You  handled  b;m  very 


A  Startling  Assertion.  41 

roughly.  I  shall  remain  in  suspense  till  the  doctor  re- 
ports." 

By  the  time  the  doctor  came  down  from  the  room  in 
which  the  professor  lay  asleep  Uncle  Asher  had  grown 
quite  nervous  and  alarmed.  He  immediately  rushed  at 
the  physician  and  asked : 

"How  is  he?    Will  he  pull  through  all  right?" 

"Well,  it  is  possible,"  replied  the  physician,  catching  a 
significant  wink  from  Frank.  "But  I  advise  you  to  patch 
matters  up  with  him  some  way,  Mr.  Merriwell." 

"Patch  up  ?    What  do  you  mean  ?" 

"I  mean  that  you  have  given  him  a  severe  shaking  up, 
and  he  may  take  a  notion  to  make  you  pay  for  it." 

"How,  sir — how  ?" 

"By  suing  you  for  damages.  He  has  the  marks  to 
show,  and  he  could  make  a  very  strong  case." 

The  doctor  then  gave  Frank  a  few  instructions  con- 
cerning the  professor,  and  departed. 

Uncle  Asher  was  in  anything  but  a  pleasant  frame  of 
mind. 

"Fate  is  against  me,"  he  said.  "Everything  has  gone 
wrong  since  the  first  visitation." 

Frank  looked  at  his  uncle  keenly,  but  the  man  seemed 
perfectly  sane,  although  agitated. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  'the  first  visitation  ?' "  he 
asked.  "In  your  letter  you  spoke  of  a  visitation." 

Mr.  Merriwell  glanced  nervously  about. 

"I  will  tell  you,  Frank,"  he  said.  "I  must  tell  you 
without  delay.  But  I  must  have  something  to  steady 
my  nerves.  Sit  down.  I  will  tell  you  the  story  when  I 
return." 

In  a  short  time  Uncle  Asher  came  back,  looking  as  if 
he  felt  better.  But  he  did  not  immediately  begin  with 
his  explanation.  Instead,  he  walked  nervously  up  and 
down  the  library  floor  till  Frank  said : 


42  A  Startling  Assertion. 

"I  am  waiting,  uncle." 

"Eh?  Yes,  I  know,  but  it  is  not  an  easy  thing  to 
begin  on.  You  are  not  superstitious,  my  boy.?" 

"Not  in  the  least." 

"You  do  not  believe  in  ghosts  ?" 

"No,  sir." 

"I  knew  it.  It  was  not  so  very  long  ago  that  I  did  not 
believe  in  them." 

"And  you  do  now  ?"  asked  Frank. 

"Well,  I  have  been  forced  to,"  was  the  reluctant  con- 
fession. "I  know  this  house  is  haunted,  for  I  have  seen 
the  ghost." 

"Nonsense !" 

"There  is  no  nonsense  about  it,"  firmly  returned  Asher 
Merriwell.  "My  boy,  your  father  is  dead ;  but  for  three 
nights  in  succession  his  disembodied  spirit  has  entered 
my  chamber  and  been  seen  by  my  eyes !" 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

STORY    OF    THE    SPECTRE. 

Frank  leaped  to  his  feet. 

"Uncle  Asher,  you  are  mad !"  he  hoarsely  cried. 

The  old  man  shook  his  head. 

"I  knew  you  would  think  me  deranged,"  he  said ;  "but 
I  am  not.  I  have  spoken  the  solemn  truth." 

"But  such  a  thing  is  utterly  impossible !" 

"So  I  have  always  believed  until  convinced  by  my  own 
eyes  and  my  own  ears." 

Frank  was  distressed.  Mr.  Merriwell  seemed  to  be 
perfectly  sane,  and  yet  the  boy  shrank  from  him. 

"Sit  down  again,"  urged  Uncle  Asher.  "Let's  try  to 
be  calm.  I  knew  I  should  distress  you,  and,  at  first,  I 
resolved  not  to  tell  you.  But  the  repeated  appearance  of 
the  spectre  led  me  to  change  my  mind.  I  accepted  it  as 
a  warning  of  my  coming  end,  and  I  felt  that  it  was  my 
duty  to  tell  you  all." 

The  man  had  grown  calm,  but  now  it  was  the  boy 
who  paced  excitedly  up  and  down  the  room.  At  length 
Frank  came  and  stood  before  his  uncle,  saying: 

"Tell  me  what  you  have  seen." 

"On  the  first  night  I  was  aroused  by  the  sound  of  some 
one  moving  about.  At  first  I  thought  it  might  be  a 
trick  of  my  imagination,  and  I  tried  to  go  to  sleep.  But, 
as  I  lay  in  a  doze,  I  distinctly  heard  light  footsteps  pass 
my  door.  That  brought  me  out  of  bed  in  a  moment,  for 
I  thought  burglars  might  be  in  the  house.  Grasping  my 
revolver,  I  slipped  out  of  the  room  into  the  corridor, 


44  Story  of  the  Spectre. 

which,  as  you  know,  leads  from  the  head  of  the  stairs  to 
the  rear  of  the  house.  I  moved  silently  and  cautiously. 
It  was  dark  in  the  corridor,  from  the  farther  end  of 
which  came  a  slight  rustle.  Then,  as  I  stood  there,  some- 
thing seemed  to  vanish  into  the  room  where  your  mother 
died." 

The  man  stopped,  his  voice  having  grown  husky. 
Frank  was  now  quite  pale,  but  was  holding  his  excite- 
ment in  check.  He  made  a  motion  for  Uncle  Asher  to 
continue. 

After  some  moments,  Mr.  Merriwell  went  on : 

"I  stole  down  the  corridor,  and  found  the  door  of  that 
chamber  slightly  ajar.  The  moon  was  shining,  and  its 
light  sifted  in  at  the  window.  By  the  light  of  the  moon 
I  distinctly  saw  a  figure  standing  at  the  dressing-case — a 
figure  clad  in  white.  For  all  that  there  was  something 
ghostly  about  it,  I  still  believed  it  a  burglar." 

He  cleared  his  throat,  and  the  lad  waited  impatiently 
for  him  to  continue. 

"This  intruder  was  searching  through  the  old  dressing- 
case.  I  watched  him  for  several  moments,  and  then  T 
cocked  the  revolver  which  I  held  in  my  hand.  The 
click-click  of  the  weapon  caused  him  to  start  and  turn. 
Then  the  moonlight  fell  full  and  fair  on  his  white,  ghastly 
face,  and  I  saw  it  was  my  brother  Charles !" 

Asher  Merriwell  was  now  shaking  with  excitement, 
and  his  voice  choked. 

A  strange,  uncanny  feeling  began  to  creep  over  the 
listening  lad.  Somehow,  despite  himself,  he  could  not 
shake  off  a  sensation  of  awe  and  terror. 

After  a  few  moments,  the  man  recovered  and  pursued 
his  narrative. 

"The  sight  of  that  familiar  face  seemed  to  turn  the 
blood  in  my  veins  to  water.  I  cried  out,  calling  my  dead 


Story  of  the  Spectre.  45 

brother's  name,  and  clasping  my  hands  to  my  eyes,  stag- 
gering backward,  the  revolver  falling  to  the  floor. 

"When  I  recovered,  which  was  in  a  moment,  I  looked 
for  the  spectre,  but  it  had  vanished.  It  was  gone,  and 
yet  I  knew  no  one  had  left  the  chamber  by  the  door, 
which  stood  open  before  me.  Then  I  began  to  think  I 
had  been  tricked  by  my  imagination.  I  began  to  believe 
I  had  seen  nothing  at  all." 

"Which  must  serve  as  the  real  explanation  of  the 
affair,"  said  Frank,  quickly. 

'Mr.  Merriwell  shook  his  head. 

"Not  at  all.  Wait  till  you  have  heard  the  complete 
story." 

"Go  on.    I  am  listening." 

"It  did  not  take  me  long  to  recover  my  nerve.  I  en- 
tered the  room,  revolver  in  hand,  but  found  nothing  to 
reward  my  search.  Besides  myself,  there  was  no  human 
being  there. 

"Of  course,  I  had  grown  much  calmer  when  I  went 
back  to  bed.  I  decided  that  I  must  be  ill,  and  I  would 
call  in  the  doctor  the  next  day.  I  took  a  small  drink  of 
brandy,  and  was  soon  sleeping  soundly.  During  the  re- 
mainder of  that  night  I  was  not  disturbed. 

"With  the  coming  of  morning,  I  decided  that  I  had 
been  troubled  by  a  nightmare.  I  was  inclined  to  laugh 
at  myself;  but,  for  all  that,  what  I  had  seen  was  vividly 
fixed  in  my  memory.  It  seemed  to  follow  me  through  all 
the  day. 

"But  I  ate  well  and  felt  well,  so  I  did  not  call  a 
physician. 

"I  wondered  if  another  night  would  bring  forth  any- 
thing of  an  uncanny  nature.  Something  seemed  to  tell 
me  that  it  would,  and  I  retired  with  a  feeling  of  dread, 
which  I  tried  in  vain  to  banish.  It  was  some  time  before 
I  fell  asleep,  but  I  slept  soundly  at  length. 


46  Story  of  the  Spectre. 

"It  was  exactly  two  o'clock,  when  I  suddenly  found 
myself  wide  awake.  I  knew  not  why  I  had  awakened 
from  deep  slumber,  but  I  felt  that  something  had  aroused 
me.  The  illumined  face  of  the  little  clock  on  the  stand  at 
the  head  of  the  bed  told  me  the  hour. 

"For  some  minutes  I  lay  and  listened,  but  I  heard  no 
sound.  Still  I  was  impressed  with  the  conviction  that 
some  one  or  something  was  astir  in  the  house.  I  could 
not  sleep  again  without  investigating,  and  so  I  got  out  of 
bed. 

"Once  more,  with  the  revolver  in  hand,  I  crept  from 
my  room  and  stole  down  the  corridor.  Gently  I  pushed 
open  the  door  of  the  chamber  in  which  I  had  seen  the 
apparition  the  night  before.  Something  made  me  ex- 
pect to  see  it  there  again,  and  I  was  not  disappointed. 

"As  on  the  previous  occasion,  the  moonlight  was  shin- 
ing in  at  the  window,  and  it  showed  me  the  figure  in 
white.  As  on  the  previous  occasion,  the  spectre  seemed 
to  be  searching  through  the  old  dressing-case. 

"Lifting  the  revolver,  I  cried : 

"  'Stand  still,  or  I  will  shoot  you  in  your  tracks !' 

"Again  he  turned,  and  again  I  saw  the  death-set  face 
of  my  brother !  I  felt  my  strength  oozing  from  my  body. 
I  was  fascinated  by  the  eyes  which  seemed  fixed  on  me 
with  a  stony  stare.  Slowly  the  revolver  sunk  to  my  side. 

"Then  the  spectre  lifted  a  hand  with  a  warning  ges- 
ture, and,  without  a  sound,  glided  into  the  alcove  in  that 
room  and  disappeared.  I  seemed  to  hear  a  faint  scraping 
sound,  but  that  was  all.  I  was  alone. 

"I  do  not  know  how  I  summoned  courage  to  go  in 
there  and  investigate  a  second  time,  but  I  did  so,  and  the 
only  satisfaction  it  gave  me  was  to  discover  the  room 
was  deserted,  save  for  myself." 

Frank  Merriwell  was  breathing  quickly,  fitfully,  his 


Story  of  the  Spectre.  47 

face  hard  and  pale.  The  words  of  his  uncle  were  mak- 
ing a  deep  impression  on  him. 

Now  Mr.  Merriwell  once  more  sought  relief  from  his 
feelings  by  walking  swiftly  up  and  down  the  floor.  Frank 
waited  in  silence  till  the  man  continued: 

"I  went  back  to  bed,  but  I  did  not  sleep.  I  tossed 
and  turned,  my  mind  troubled  with  a  conflict  of  thoughts 
and  emotions.  I  began  to  believe  that  the  apparition  had 
come  as  a  warning  of  something  soon  to  befall  me.  My 
thoughts  grew  morbid,  and  a  great  fear  came  upon  me. 
I  am  an  old  man,  and  my  course  is  nearly  finished." 

"No,  no,  uncle!"  cried  Frank,  quickly;  "y°u  are  still 
in  the  very  prime  of  life.  You  have  a  score  of  good 
years  before  you." 

"Uncle  Asher  forced  a  faint  smile. 

"I  am  fifty-nine,"  he  said.  "In  our  family  there  have 
ever  been  two  classes.  One  class  was  slender,  supple, 
sinewy,  hard  as  iron,  and  blessed  with  long  lives,  barring 
accidents.  To  that  class  your  father  and  yourself  belong. 
The  other  class  was  stout,  thick-necked,  sluggish  of  blood 
and  inclined  to  apoplexy.  Nearly  all  of  them  have  died 
from  fifty-eight  to  sixty-two.  That  is  the  class  to  which 
I  belong." 

It  was  useless  for  Frank  to  try  to  convince  Uncle  Asher 
that  this  was  all  a  whim. 

"I  know,  my  dear  boy — I  know,"  declared  the  man. 
"For  some  time  I  have  been  thinking  of  making  certain 
provisions  for  you,  in  case  I  should  be  taken  away  sud- 
denly." 

"I  am  all  right,  uncle." 

"I  know  it,  but  you  are  all  I  have  in  the  world.  When 
I  am  gone,  you  shall  inherit  my  wealth." 

"Don't  speak  of  that !" 

"I  must  speak  of  it,  for  the  time  has  come.  Merriwell 
is  a  good  old  name,  and  through  you  it  must  go  dpw»» 


48  Slory  of  the  Spectre. 

to  posterity.  I  want  to  see  you  educated,  or  want  to 
know  that  your  complete  education  is  assured.  For  that 
reason,  I  asked  you  to  bring  one  of  your  instructors 
with  you.  I  have  a  scheme  of  adding  to  your  complete 
education  by  travel,  and  I  wished  you  to  see  the  world 
in  company  with  a  highly  intellectual  tutor.  I  am  greatly 
disappointed  in  Professor  Scotch,  and " 

"You  may  not  be  so  disappointed  when  you  come  to 
know  the  professor  better." 

"Oh,  he  is  not  the  man  to  satisfy  me." 

"Wait  and  see.  But  you  have  not  completed  your 
ghost  story,  uncle." 

"So  I  haven't.  There  is  not  much  more  to  tell.  I 
found  myself  in  a  rather  shaken  condition  in  the  morning. 
I  called  in  the  doctor,  and  asked  him  what  it  meant 
when  a  person  got  to  seeing  spooks.  He  said  it  meant 
their  liver  was  out  of  order,  and  he  gave  me  some  medi- 
cine. This  medicine,  however,  did  not  prevent  the  spec- 
tre's appearance  on  the  third  night." 

"Did  it  appear  in  the  same  manner?" 

"No.    This  time  it  visited  me  in  my  own  chamber." 

Frank  whistled. 

"This  grows  still  more  exciting !" 

"Yes.  As  you  may  fancy,  I  did  not  find  it  easy  to  go 
to  sleep  on  the  third  night,  and  I  took  the  utmost  care  to 
lock  my  chamber  door.  I  did  not  mean  to  arise  and  go 
spectre-hunting  again,  no  matter  how  strong  the  inclina- 
tion might  be.  But  I  did  not  have  to  do  so. 

"Again  it  was  two  o'clock  when  I  awoke ;  but  this  time 
I  looked  up  and  saw  the  spectre  at  my  bedside.  It  was 
standing  there  quietly,  and  seemed  waiting  for  me  to 
awaken.  The  moment  I  opened  my  eyes,  it  lifted  a  hand, 
and  then,  in  a  faint,  far-away  whisper,  came  these  words : 

"  'Brother  Asher,  where  is  the  mystic  ring — the  ring  I 


Story  of  the  Spectre.  49 

gave  my  wife,  and  told  her  to  keep  till  I  called  for  it? 
I  have  called  at  last!'" 

A  cry  broke  from  Frank's  lips. 

''The  ring — there  it  is !"  he  cried,  holding  up  his  hand, 
and  showing  a  strangely  twisted  band  of  gold,  in  which 
an  odd  black  stone  was  set.  "My  mother  gave  it  to  me 
when  she  died.  She  told  me  to  keep  it  always.  It  has 
caused  me  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  of  which  I  have  not 
written  you  a  full  account,  as  I  did  not  wish  to  worry 
you.  First,  complete  your  story,  and  then  I  will  tell  you 
about  this  ring." 

;Mr.  Merriwell  looked  closely  at  the  old  ring,  and  then 
he  huskily  said : 

"This  is  the  ring  for  which  he  called.  He  described  it 
I  told  him  that  it  was  not  in  my  possession." 

"And  then — what?" 

"He  stepped  back  from  sight,  I  heard  a  click,  and  when 
I  sat  up  in  bed,  shaking  with  fright,  he  was  gone." 

"Then  you  wrote  me  to  come  home  without  delay  ?" 

"Yes.  I  accepted  these  visitations  as  a  warning  of  my 
approaching  end." 

"Nonsense,  uncle!  However,  I  am  glad  you  wrote 
me  to  come.  You  were  not  visited  last  night  ?" 

"No." 

"I  may  be  able  to  solve  the  mystery.  I  have  a  favor . 
to  ask." 

"Name  it,  my  boy,  and  it  shall  be  granted." 

"I  want  to  spend  to-night  in  the  chamber  where  vou 
first  saw  the  spectre !" 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THE    STRANGE    RING. 

Mr.  Merriwell  was  greatly  agitated. 

"My  boy,  you  cannot  know  what  experience  you  might 
have  to  go  through!"  he  cried. 

"I  shall  be  ready  for  anything,"  assured  Frank. 

"But — but — that  chamber — your  mother  died  there." 

A  look  of  pain  passed  over  the  lad's  face.  He  turned 
away  for  a  moment,  and  then  slowly  said : 

"I  know.  Possibly  that  is  why  this — this — spectre 
visits  that  room." 

"Without  doubt." 

"Then  I  shall  not  mind — I  shall  not  be  easily  fright- 
ened." 

Uncle  Asher  hesitated. 

"Remember,  uncle,  you  told  me  to  name  my  favor  and 
it  should  be  granted." 

"I  spoke  hastily." 

"But  you  will  not  refuse  me  now?" 

"It  is  of  you  that  I  am  thinking;  there  could  be  noth- 
jing  selfish  in  such  a  refusal." 

"And  it  is  of  you  that  I  am  thinking,  dear  uncle.  If  I 
can  succeed  in  solving  this  mystery " 

"My  boy,  there  is  no  solution.  I  have  seen  my  broth- 
er's spirit,  and  you  would  simply  behold  that  of  your 
father.  Isn't  it  better  that  you  should  not  venture  to  look 
upon  it" 

"But  Uncle  Asher,  I  have  the  ring,  and  it  belongs  to 
him.  He  did  not  call  for  it  while  he  lived;  and  now " 


The  Strange  Ring.  51 

"I  see,  I  see ;  you  think  that  you  may  'lay'  the  spectre 
by  surrendering  the  ring." 

This  was  not  what  Frank  had  thought,  but  he  did  not 
care  to  make  a  full  explanation  just  then. 

Some  time  before,  he  had  written  his  uncle  how  the 
ring  had  been  stolen  from  him,  and,  in  trying  to  escape 
from  pursuers,  the  thief  had  fallen  into  an  old  quarry  and 
been  killed ;  but  he  had  not  thought  it  best  at  that  time 
to  explain  that  the  fine  lines  cut  on  the  black  stone  were 
really  a  chart  to  a  lost  gold  mine  that  was  situated  some- 
where in  the  Santa  Catarina  Mountains,  in  Arizona. 

Now,  however,  he  told  his  uncle  the  full  truth  about  the 
ring,  and  showed  the  chart  which  he  had  had  drawn  on 
paper  by  one  who  had  copied  and  enlarged  the  marking 
on  the  strange  stone  in  the  ring. 

Quite  naturally,  Asher  Merriwell  was  greatly  inter- 
ested. He  looked  the  chart  over  carefully,  and  then  he 
examined  the  ring.  He  asked  many  questions,  ending 
with : 

"And  you  really  mean  to  give  up  this  ring  ?" 

"It  belonged  to  my  father." 

"True." 

"He  asked  mother  to  keep  it  until  he  called  for  it." 

"Yes." 

"He  did  not  call  for  it  while  mother  lived." 

"No." 

"And  now  that  he  has  called,  should  he  not  receive 
it?" 

"What  value  can  that  ring  be  to  a  spectre  ?" 

"Oh,  I  cannot  answer  that.  You  have  not  yet  given 
me  an  answer." 

"I  will  not.  Boy,  your  mother  gave  you  that  ring,  told 
yon  to  keep  it,  and  you  must  do  with  it  as  you  believe 
is  right  and  proper.  I  shall  not  try  to  dictate  in  the  mat- 
ter. The  events  of  the  last  few  nights  have  shaken  me 


52  The  Strange  Ring. 

severely.  I  am  not  myself — I  am  not  capable  of  giving 
good  advice.  I  scarcely  know  what  I  think  or  feel." 

"You  need  a  rest,  Uncle — or,  better  still,  you  need  a 
change.  You  should  go  away  on  some  kind  of  a  diver- 
sion-seeking expedition.  But,  let  me  hear  you  agree  that 
I  may  sleep  in  that  chamber  to-night." 

"Do  as  you  choose,  Frank.  You  may  regret  it — I  may 
.regret  that  I  permitted  it." 

"I  scarcely  think  you  will." 

A  little  later  Toots  arrived  from  the  station  with  the 
trunks,  which  the  hostler  aided  him  in  bringing  into  the 
house. 

Frank  went  up  and  saw  Professor  Scotch,  finding  him 
sleeping  peacefully,  with  one  eye  bandaged  and  the  other 
slightly  discolored. 

"Poor  old  professor !"  laughed  Frank,  softly.  "He  has 
had  a  sorry  time  since  leaving  the  academy.  Another 
such  day  would  be  his  death.  He  must  be  given  a  chance 
to  rest  and  recuperate." 

Leaving  the  professor,  he  sought  Toots,  whom  he  di- 
rected to  go  and  sit  with  the  unfortunate  man,  assuring 
the  darky  that  he  would  make  it  all  right  with  Mr.  Merri- 
well. 

Thus  it  came  about  that,  when  Professor  Scotch  opened 
his  eyes,  he  looked  straight  at  Toots,  who  was  in  the  act 
of  taking  a  sip  from  a  suspicious-looking  bottle. 

Seeing  that  he  was  detected,  Toots  exclaimed : 

"Golly!" 

Professor  Scotch  instantly  sat  up  in  bed. 

"Look  here,  my  brunette  friend,"  he  cried,  "what  have 
you  in  that  bottle?" 

"MedVne  fo'  mah  cold,  sar,"  replied  Toots,  speaking 
hoarsely,  and  beginning  to  cough. 

The  professor  sniffed  the  air. 


The  Strange  Ring.  53 

"Seems  to  me  I  recognize  that  odor,"  he  muttered.  "I 
am  sure  I  cannot  be  deceived." 

"Wouldn't  deceibe  yo'  fo'  de  vvoiT,  sar,"  assured  the 
agitated  darky. 

"Look  here,  Toots !"  rumbled  Scotch,  in  his  deep,  awe- 
inspiring  voice,  "I  think  I  need  a  little  of  that  medicine 
myself." 

"No,  sar — no,  sar!"  cried  Toots,  in  alarm.  "Dis  am 
bad  fo'  white  fo'ks — 'deed  it  am!  It  am  'speshully  bad 
fo'  p'ofessors,  sar.  It  am  deadly  po'son  fo'  p'ofessors." 

"Well,  Toots,  I  have  decided  to  commit  suicide.  Bring 
forward  the  poison !" 

Toots'  teeth  began  to  chatter  and  his  eyes  to  roll. 

"Su-su-sar,"  he  stammered,  "I  done  don'  like  to  refuse 
a  gemmen,  sar ;  but  dis  is  a  case  whar  de  gen'ral  health 
ob  de  communerty  done  deman'  it,  sar.  If  yo'  took  one 
li'l  tinty  drap  ob  dis  p'oson,  sar,  it  would  be  shore  deff,  an* 
I  might  be  hung  fo*  yo'  murdah." 

"Now,  that  won't  go  with  me,  you  black  pilferer!" 
roared  the  professor.  "You  confiscated  that  bottle  and 
its  contents  from  Mr.  Merriwell,  and  I  shall  report  your 
offence  if  you  do  not  immediately  hand  it  over  to  me." 

"An'  yo'  won't  repo'te  it  if  I  gib  yo'  de  bottle  ?" 

"No,  I  will  keep  mum." 

"Well,  jes'  let  me  hab  one  mo*  good  s waller  ob  dis 
tned'c'ne,  an'  I  will  gib  it  up." 

"Stop!"  commanded  Scotch,  sharply.  "Not  another 
swallow  till  I  have  analyzed  the  contents  of  that  bottle. 
You  have  taken  it  at  random  from  the  wine-cellar,  and, 
as  it  was  put  up  especially  for  white  folks,  it  may  be 
poison  for  darkies." 

"Good  land !  I  nebber  fought  ob  dat,"  cried  Toots,  as 
he  quickly  surrendered  the  bottle. 

The  professor  held  it  between  his  unbandaged  eye  and 
the  window. 


54  The  Strange  Ring. 

"Now,"  said  he,  soberly,  "we  will  begin  the  analysis. 
First,  it  looks  like  brandy." 

He  smelled  of  it. 

"It  smells  like  brandy,"  he  declared. 

He  took  a  good  pull  at  the  bottle. 

"It  tastes  like  brandy,"  he  said,  with  a. catch  in  his 
breath  and  a  look  of  deep  satisfaction.  "I  believe  it  is 
brandy.  I'll  try  it  again,  just  to  make  sure." 

He  did  try  it  again,  and  the  way  he  allowed  the  fiery 
Stuff  to  gurgle  down  his  throat  caused  Toots  to  clasp  his 
hands  and  murmur : 

"Fo'  de  Ian'  sakes !" 

"Yes,"  said  the  professor,  gasping  for  breath,  "that 
is  brandy.  According  to  my  analysis,  it  is  a  very  fine 
grade  of  brandy.  But  I  thought  Mr.  Merriwell  was  a 
temperance  worker?  I  thought  he  believed  in  putting 
down  this  kind  of  stuff?" 

"By  golly !  He  does/'  grinned  Toots.  "Yo'  ought  to  see 
him  put  it  do'n  when  he  feels  dat  way !" 

"I  am  shocked — I  am  surprised!"  asserted  the  pro- 
fessor. "Now,  I  believe  in  the  use  of  liquor  for  purely 
medicinal  purposes — nothing  else,  nothing  else.  I  am 
rather  ill  at  the  present  time,  and  brandy  is,  without 
doubt,  exactly  what  I  need.  Ill  take  a  little  more." 
Toots  coughed. 

"Dis  yere  cole  ob  mine  is  po'erful  bad,"  he  said. 

"Rum  and  molasses  is  a  very  good  mixture  for  a  cold," 
said  the  professor,  glibly.  "Of  course,  I  would  not  rec- 
ommend it  for  children,  but  it  very  good  for  a  mature 
person  like  yourself." 

"How  about  brandy,  p'ofessor?" 

"Avoid  it,  sir — avoid  it !  It  will  do  for  one  whose  sys- 
tem is  in  a  badly  shattered  condition,  but  should  not  be 
indulged  in  by  a  young  man." 


The  Strange  Ring.  55 

The  bottle  was  again  inverted,  and  it  remained  thus  till 
the  last  of  its  contents  had  disappeared. 

"What  have  they  chucked  me  into  bed  for?"  the  pro- 
fessor continued.  "I  am  not  ready  to  retire.  What  time 
do  they  dine  in  this  house,  Tootsie?" 

"Berry  soon,  sar — berry  soon." 

"Is  that  so?  Well,  they  won't  leave  Professor  Horace 
Orman  Tyler  Scotch  out  this  evening.  I  propose  to  arise, 
don  my  raiment,  and  dine." 

"But  de  doctah " 

"Hang  the  doctor,  Tootsie,  old  boy !  Doctors  are  neces- 
sary evils.  I  am  my  own  boss.  Help  me  out  of  bed. 
That's  it,  so.  Now  I  am  all  right.  Give  me  some  assist- 
ance in  getting  into  my  garments.  Going  to  dine  without 
me,  eh?  Well,  I  should  smile!" 

With  Toots  to  aid,  the  professor  succeeded  in  getting 
dressed,  after  which  he  washed  his  face  and  hands, 
combed  his  hair  after  a  fashion,  cast  aside  the  cloth  that 
had  been  bound  over  his  eye,  and  declared  that  he  vras 
ready  to  descend  to  the  dining-room. 


CHAPTER  X. 

PURSUING     A     PROWLER. 

Frank  and  his  uncle  had  seated  themselves  at  the  table, 
and  soup  had  been  served,  when  Professor  Scotch  came 
prancing  into  the  dining-room,  with  Toots  close  behind. 

"Excuse  me,"  said  the  professor,  with  a  flourish.  "I 
have  fallen  into  the  extravagant  habit  of  eating  occasion- 
ally myself.  Of  course,  I  do  not  wish  to  intrude " 

"Hem!  hem!"  coughed  Uncle  Asher,  embarrassed. 
"We  presumed  you  were  too — too  tired  to  come  down." 

"Well,  hardly ;  but  if  I  am  not  wanted " 

There  was  something  about  the  professor's  manner  that 
caused  Asher  Merriwell  to  burst  into  hearty  laughter. 

"Professor  Scotch,"  he  cried,  "I  believe  I  have  mis- 
understood you — I  am  beginning  to  understand  that  you 
are  a  practical  joker." 

It  was  not  long  before  the  professor  was  seated  at  the 
table,  and  the  way  he  stowed  away  the  food  told  that  he 
was  decidedly  hungry.  For  all  that  he  seemed  to  drink 
quite  freely,  he  did  not  show  it  more  than  when  he  sat 
down,  and  Uncle  Asher  drank  several  glasses  with  him. 

Then  they  both  turned  to  and  gave  Frank  a  temperance 
lecture.  The  professor  insisted  that  he  took  liquor  for 
medicinal  purposes  only,  and  Uncle  Asher  declaring  it 
had  been  recommended  for  his  use  in  moderate  quantities 
by  his  physician. 

But  Frank  did  not  stand  in  need  of  a  lecture,  for  he 
never  touched  the  stuff  in  any  form,  and  he  had  made 
up  his  mind  that  he  never  would.  He  was  one  ^f  those 
boys  who  seldom  break  a  resolution. 


Pursuing  a  Prowler.  57 

But  the  brandy  which  Toots  had  pilfered  from  the 
wine  cellar  had  served  to  restore  peace  and  amity  between 
Mr.  Merriwell  and  the  professor.  By  the  time  the  meal 
was  over  they  were  ready  to  embrace  each  other,  and 
Frank  left  them  smoking  and  chatting  together. 

He  walked  over  to  the  village  in  the  dusk  of  early  even- 
ing, and  met  a  number  of  his  friends  and  schoolmates, 
all  of  whom  regarded  him  with  awe  and  admiration. 

Frank  surely  did  cut  a  fine  figure  in  his  handsome  cadet 
uniform,  and  it  was  not  strange  that  his  less  fortunate 
companions  of  other  days  regarded  him  with  awe,  and 
were  somewhat  doubtful  as  to  the  proper  manner  of  ap- 
proaching him. 

But  Merriwell  was  not  the  lad  to  forget  old  friends,  and 
he  greeted  them  all  heartily  and  cordially,  soon  putting 
them  at  ease  by  showing  that  he  was  the  same  boy  that 
they  had  known  in  other  days. 

During  his  furlough  the  village  boys  often  gathered 
round  Frank  to  listen  to  his  tales  of  cadet  life  at  Fardale, 
and  in  the  breast  of  more  than  one  lad  he  awakened  a 
great  longing  to  become  a  student  at  some  military 
academy. 

When  Frank  strolled  back  home  on  the  evening  of  his 
arrival,  darkness  had  come  on,  and  banks  of  dark  clouds 
were  lying  far  down  in  the  west,  where  the  lightning 
played  at  intervals,  and  the  thunder  muttered.  There 
was  a  great  hush  in  the  air. 

As  Frank  came  near  his  home,  he  saw  a  dark  figure 
leave  the  road  a  short  distance  in  advance,  and  enter  the 
grounds. 

He  hurried  forward,  curious  to  know  who  was  prowling 
about  the  place  at  that  hour. 

The  figure  hesitated,  seemed  to  look  back,  and  then 
hurried  onward  swiftly. 

"Hello,  there '"  called  Frank.     "Wait  a  minute  1" 


58  Pursuing  a  Prowler. 

At  the  sound  of  his  voice,  the  figure  took  to  flight, 
plunging  straight  through  a  hedge. 

"That's  wrong!"  muttered  the  boy.  "I  wonder  if  I 
can't  overtake  you."  And  he  sprang  away  in  pursuit. 

Across  the  grounds  darted  the  unknown,  plunged 
through  a  rustic  arbor,  and  darted  round  the  corner  of 
the  house. 

"Stop !"  ordered  Frank ;  "stop  where  you  are !" 

The  fugitive  did  not  heed. 

Round  the  corner  leaped  the  boy  who  was  the  best 
sprinter  in  Fardale  Academy.  He  was  gaining. 

"You  can't  get  away !"  he  hissed,  through  his  set  teeth. 

Two  more  leaps  took  him  so  close  to  the  unknown  that 
he  reached  out  a  hand  to  grasp  the  fellow's  shoulder. 

Just  then  Frank  tripped  and  fell  heavily  to  the  ground. 

The  shock  was  sufficient  to  stun  him,  but  he  got  up  as 
swiftly  as  possible. 

Then  he  looked  in  amazement. 

The  unknown  had  disappeared. 


CHAPTER  XL 

A      REVEL ATIO  N . 

That  night  Frank  slept  in  the  haunted  chamber.  Of 
course  the  surroundings  brought  a  flood  of  sad  memories 
to  overwhelm  him,  but  he  resolutely  put  them  aside,  and 
he  read  for  more  than  an  hour  after  retiring  to  the  room. 

He  did  not  undress,  but  flung  himself  on  the  bed,  and 
drew  the  outer  spread  over  him. 

He  left  the  window  open,  in  order  to  obtain  plenty  of 
fresh  air. 

Qose  at  hand  were  matches  and  a  lamp. 

His  first  thought  had  been  not  to  sleep  at  all,  and  he 
had  believed  that,  considering  his  surroundings,  this 
would  not  be  difficult. 

Even  when  he  had  extinguished  the  light  and  lay  there 
in  the  darkness,  he  did  not  intend  to  sleep. 

The  thunder-shower  that  had  threatened  earlier  in  the 
evening  had  passed  around,  and  the  later  hours  of  the 
night,  when  the  moon  had  risen,  promised  to  be  pleasant 
and  peaceful. 

Outside,  the  night  breezes  were  whispering  amid  the 
trees.  Far  away  in  the  village  a  dog  howled. 

For  some  time  Frank  lay  listening  and  thinking.  He 
tried  to  direct  his  thoughts,  and  succeeded  in  a  measure ; 
but,  without  being  aware  that  he  was  growing  drowsy,  he 
finally  fell  asleep. 

The  hours  of  the  night  slipped  away.  The  moon  rose 
and  threw  its  light  into  the  eastern  window,  but  the  bed 
was  in  the  shadow,  and  Frank  Merriwell  slept  as  softly 
and  peacefully  as  a  child. 


60  A  Revelation. 

At  length  Frank  dreamed.  He  thought  that  within  the 
alcove  at  the  farther  side  of  the  chamber  where  he  now 
lay  he  saw  the  partition  slowly  and  noiselessly  open  till 
the  aperture  was  wide  enough  to  admit  a  man.  Then 
into  the  room  stepped  the  spectre  of  the  old  mansion,  and, 
with  noiseless  step,  glided  to  the  dressing-case.  As  it, 
passed  through  the  full  light  of  the  moon,  Frank  saw  the 
face  of  the  apparition,  and  it  was  in  truth  that  of  his  dead 
father. 

In  a  moment  Frank's  eyes  opened,  and  he  lay  quite  still 
on  the  bed,  looking  directly  toward  the  dressing-case. 

Had  he  dreamed?    \V]as  he  still  dreaming? 

Before  the  dressing-case  stood  a  figure  in  white — the 
figure  of  a  man  who  was  searching  through  the  drawers 
of  the  old  case. 

The  boy  on  the  bed  held  his  breath  and  watched.  He 
could  hear  a  rustling  sound  as  the  drawers  were  moved. 

To  Frank  it  seemed  that  he  lay  thus  for  several  min- 
utes. At  length  the  ghostly  figure  made  a  gesture  of  im- 
patience and  despair,  and  the  boy  distinctly  heard  these 
words : 

"I  know  the  secret  drawer  is  here  somewhere,  but  I 
cannot  find  the  hidden  spring." 

With  the  stealth  of  a  creeping  cat,  Frank  Merriwell 
slipped  from  the  bed  to  the  floor.  He  was  in  his  stock- 
ings, and  he  made  no  sound. 

Then  the  boy  did  something  that  told  of  his  wonderful 
nerve.  Slowly,  surely,  step  by  step,  he  crept  up  behind 
the  ghostly  visitor  to  that  chamber. 

It  was  no  simple  thing  to  retain  his  nerve,  for  he  was 
oppressed  with  a  great  desire  to  rush  from  the  room. 
This  he  fought  against  and  conquered. 

If  the  thing  was,  indeed,  a  spectre,  Frank  did  not  be- 
lieve he  could  be  harmed  by  it.  If  it  was  not  a 
spectre 


A  Revelation.  61 

"I  will  soon  know !"  he  thought,  as  he  nerved  himself 
to  spring  upon  the  intruder. 

He  was  very  near,  and  he  crouched  for  the  spring.  If 
he  encountered  anything  solid  and  material,  he  would 
cling  to  it  and  shout  for  aid. 

Just  as  he  was  on  the  point  of  making  the  leap,  the 
man  turned  about  squarely,  and  they  were  face  to  face ! 

The  moonlight  fell  fairly  on  the  ghostly-appearing 
visitor — fell  full  upon  his  face. 

Frank  saw  that  it  was,  indeed,  the  face  of  his  father- 
ghastly  pale  and  fear-inspiring. 

In  a  moment  Frank  Merriwell  was  frozen  to  the  spot, 
chained  fast  by  a  power  he  could  not  resist,  and  boy  and 
man  stared  into  each  other's  eyes. 

After  a  time,  Frank  succeeded  in  hoarsely  whispering: 

"My  father — it  is  my  father !" 

The  "ghost"  recoiled,  as  if  struck  a  blow  in  the  face. 

"Frank,  my  boy !" 

That  was  enough  for  Frank  Merriwell.  In  a  moment 
he  was  done  with  doubts  and  fears. 

"You  are  no  disembodied  spirit!"  he  cried,  joyously. 
"You  are  my  father — alive !" 

"Hush,  boy — hush !  You  will  be  heard !  It  will  bring 
others  to  this  room !" 

Frank  was  determined  to  satisfy  himself  beyond  the  last 
shadow  of  a  doubt.  Swiftly  he  reached  forward  and 
caught  the  man  by  the  arm. 

That  was  quite  enough.  It  was  no  apparition ;  it  was  a 
creature  of  flesh  and  blood. 

"But — but,"  stammered  the  boy,  astounded,  dazed, 
wondering,  "you  should  be  dead  !" 

"I  am  dead  to  the  world,"  was  the  solemn  reply. 
"Charles  Conrad  Merriwell  is  as  dead  as  if  his  body  lay 
beneath  six  feet  of  earth !" 


62  A  Revelation. 

"But  the  reports  of  your  death — the  proofs !  We  had 
them  all.  Mother  believed  you  dead." 

"I  know  it." 

Frank  fell  back  a  step. 

"You  deceived  her !"  he  cried,  passionately.  "Why  did 
you  do  such  a  terrible  thing  ?" 

The  man  lifted  his  hands  to  his  head. 
•  "Don't  shrink  from  me,  my  boy !"  he  entreated.  "Fate 
has  been  against  me — the  whole  world  has  been  against 
me.  It  was  even  reported  that  I  was  a  gambler;  but  it 
was  not  true,  Frank — I  swear  it  was  not  true!  I  may 
have  foolishly  risked  the  money  that  I  had — I  have  done 
so — but  I  never  wronged  any  one." 

"Why  were  you  always  away  from  home?" 

"I  will  tell  you.  You  know  that  my  father  failed,  leav- 
ing Asher  and  myself  to  fight  our  battles  with  the  world. 
I  was  always  something  of  a  dreamer,  and  I  believed  that, 
some  day,  I  should  come  suddenly  into  a  great  fortune. 
I  dreamed  of  buying  back  this  old  place — it  was  the  vision 
that  lured  me  to  the  golden  West,  made  me  a  miner,  wan- 
derer, fortune  hunter.  I  got  the  fever  in  my  blood — I 
swore  I  would  never  know  rest  till  I  struck  it  rich  and 
was  able  to  return  to  the  East  a  wealthy  man.  I  had 
been  scorned  for  my  poverty  by  people  who  should  have 
been  my  friends;  even  Brother  Asher  told  me  I  lacked 
ambition  and  would  never  amount  to  anything.  I  re- 
solved to  show  them  that  they  were  all  wrong." 

He  paused  a  moment,  moistened  his  lips  with  his 
tongue,  and  then  went  on  swiftly: 

"It  was  not  strange  that  lies  should  have  been  told 
about  me.  I  did  not  wonder  at  that — I  did  not  mind  it. 
I  kept  up  the  wearisome  hunt  for  gold.  Several  times  I 
thought  I  had  struck  it  rich ;  but  each  time  this  hope  was 
born  to  die.  I  became  desperate.  I  would  not  give  up. 

"One  day  I  came  upon  a  starving  miner  in  the  Santa 


A  Revelation.  63 

Catarina  Mountains,  Arizona.  He  had  been  thrown 
from  his  horse,  and  his  leg  was  broken.  He  was  de- 
lirious, and  he  raved  of  a  rich  mine,  to  which  a  ring  that 
he  wore  on  his  hand  could  guide  one  who  knew  the  secret 
of  the  ring.  Before  I  could  get  him  to  the  nearest  town 
he  died,  and  I  was  obliged  to  bury  him  in  the  wilds  of  the 
^'mountains.  In  his  last  moments  he  was  sane,  and  he 
gave  me  the  ring.  He  told  me  how  to  read  the  secret 
upon  it. 

"I  placed  the  ring  upon  my  hand  and  wore  it  into  a 
place  called  Pirate  Hole.  It  was  a  wicked  little  camp, 
and  I  had  not  been  there  an  hour  before  I  was  set  upon 
by  two  -men  who  demanded  the  ring,  and  then,  when  I 
refused  to  give  it  up,  attempted  to  murder  me.  I  es- 
caped with  my  life,  but  I  was  sorely  wounded.  I  clung 
to  the  ring. 

"From  that  hour  murderous  ruffians  were  constantly 
on  my  trail,  always  trying  to  get  possession  of  that  ring. 
I  was  never  safe.  I  fled  like  a  hunted  fox,  and  like 
hounds  they  kept  on  my  track.  Time  after  time  I  nar- 
rowly escaped  death. 

"At  length  I  came  East,  and  placed  the  ring  in  my 
wife's  keeping,  telling  her  to  hide  it  where  it  would  be 
safe.  I  resolved  to  go  back  and  fight.  I  did  go  back. 
I  was  captured,  held  a  captive  for  three  months,  and  tor- 
tured to  force  me  to  reveal  the  place  where  I  had  hidden 
the  ring ;  but  I  kept  my  secret,  and  escaped. 

"Assailed  by  one  of  my  foes,  I  killed  him  in  self-de- 
fense. Then  the  others  swore  to  have  me  hanged.  1 
was  charged  with  murder,  and  I  knew  my  chances  were 
slim,  even  though  I  was  forced  to  kill  the  man  to  save 
myself  from  death.  They  had  me  cornered,  trapped. 
Then  it  was  that  I  died." 

The  man  paused  again.  Frank  was  fascinated,  hell* 
spell-bound. 


64  A  Revelation. 

"Then  it  was  that  I  died,"  repeated  Charles  Merriwell 
"With  the  aid  of  a  friend,  I  worked  the  plot  very  well. 
I  took  a  drug  that  threw  me  into  a  trance  that  resembled 
death.  I  was  placed  in  a  coffin^  where  I  was  seen  by 
many.  The  coffin  was  sealed  and  buried,  but  I  was  not 
in  it  when  it  was  placed  in  the  ground.  I  had  been  re- 
moved and  restored  to  consciousness. 

"Thus  it  came  about  that  Charles  Conrad  Merriwell 
died.  Now  you  understand  it  all.  I  have  been  waiting 
till  my  enemies  should  perish,  and  now  they  are  all  gone. 
I  have  come  back  here  for  the  ring  I  gave  your  mother, 
but  I  have  been  unable  to  find  it." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  LAST  OF  THE  SPECTRE. 

Frank  had  listened  with  unbounded  amazement  to  this 
remarkable  story  from  his  father's  lips.  It  seemed  almost 
beyond  belief,  and  yet  here  was  the  man  whom  the  world 
believed  dead,  and  that  he  was  alive  and  in  the  flesh  the 
boy  well  knew. 

"But  why  should  you  fail  to  let  Uncle  Asher  know  that 
you  still  live  ?"  asked  Frank.  • 

Charles  Merriwell  made  a  gesture  that  the  lad  did  not 
understand.  He  'bowed  his  head  a  moment,  and  then 
slowly  replied: 

"Asher  has  never  felt  a  great  amount  of  brotherly  love 
for  me.  He  believed  the  lies  they  told  about  me,  and  it 
is  not  strange  that  I  felt  resentment.  I  am  still  a  poor 
man,  although  I  am  sure  the  ring  could  lead  me  to  a  for- 
tune. If  I  were  to  let  Asher  know  how  I  have  deceived 
him — if  I  were  to  tell  him  the  whole  truth,  he  would  be 
likely  to  still  regard  me  as  of  old.  I  fancy  he  would 
scorn  me  for  my  subterfuge.  No,  I  wish  him  to  continue 
to  believe  me  dead.  You  must  not  tell  him  of  this  meet- 
ing to-night — you  must  promise  me  that  you  will  not 
tell.  Do  you  promise?" 

"If  it  is  necessary,  father,  I  will  give  my  promise." 

"It  is  necessary." 

"Then  I  promise." 

"Some  time  I  hope  to  tell  him  the  full  truth  myself,  but 
I  mean  to  find  the  lost  mine  of  the  Santa  Catarinas  be- 
fore I  do." 


66  The  Last  of  the  Spectre. 

"How  are  you  going  to  find  it  without  the  aid  of  the 
ring  ?" 

"How,  indeed !" 

The  man  bowed  his  head  upon  his  breast. 

Frank  slipped  the  ring  from  his  finger,  and  quietly 
said: 

"Here  it  is— father." 

The  ring  was  placed  in  the  man's  hand.  He  uttered  a 
cry  of  unbounded  joy  and  astonishment. 

"The  ring !"  he  panted,  eagerly,  holding  it  in  the  moon- 
light for  inspection.  "It  is  truly  the  ring !" 

"Yes ;  it  was  given  me  by  mother  when  she  was  dying. 
She  believed  you  dead,  and  she  told  me  to  keep  it  always. 
But,  had  she  known  you  still  lived,  I  am  sure  she  would 
have  wished  me  to  return  it  to  you  when  you  called  for 
it!" 

"You  are  right,  my  son — you  are  right !" 

As  briefly  as  possible,  Frank  told  how  the  ring  had  been 
stolen  from  him,  and  how  the  mysterious  man  had 
plunged  to  his  death  while  fleeing  from  pursuers. 

Charles  Merriwell  was  puzzled ;  he  could  not  conceive 
who  the  mysterious  thief  could  have  been. 

"I  shall  return  to  the  West,  and  I  shall  not  rest  till  I 
have  found  the  lost  mine  of  the  Santa  Catarinas,"  he  de- 
clared. "When  I  am  wealthy,  you  shall  hear  from  me, 
Frank.  After  this  night  Asher  Merriwell  will  not  be 
troubled  by  the  spectre  of  his  dead  brother." 

"How  is  it  that  you  can  enter  this  house  and  move  about 
without  detection?"  asked  the  still  wondering  lad. 

"It  is  because  I  know  the  secret  of  the  old  place.  To- 
night, as  I  entered  the  grounds,  I  was  pursued  and  nearly 
overtaken " 

"I  was  the  pursuer." 

"You?" 

"Yes." 


The  Last  of  the  Spectre.  67 

"Well,  I  must  say  that  you  are  livejy  oh  your  feet,  my 
boy.  If  you  had  not  fallen,  you  must  have  overtaken  me. 
But  I  escaped  you  and  entered  by  the  secret  way.  There 
are  passages  within  these  heavy  walls,  and  sliding  panels 
that  open  into  many  of  the  rooms.  That  explains  the  se- 
cret of  my  appearances  and  disappearances.  I  did  not 
wish  to  be  shot  for  a  burglar  by  any  one  who  might  run 
upon  me  by  accident,  and  so  I  donned  this  white  flannel 
suit  and  powdered  my  face.  I  have  nearly  frightened 
Asher  out  of  his  wits,  but  I  am  sure  I  kept  him  from  tak- 
ing a  shot  at  me." 

"Why  did  you  come  to  this  room  so  often  ?" 

"I  learned  this  was  the  chamber  in  which  your  mother 
died.  I  know  there  is  a  secret  drawer  in  this  old  dresser, 
and  I  was  searching  for  that  drawer,  thinking  I  might  find 
the  ring  hidden  therein.  I  did  not  see  you  on  the  bed 
when  I  entered  a  short  time  ago.  How  came  you  in  this 
room?" 

Frank  told  how  Uncle  Asher  had  sent  for  him  and  told 
him  of  the  ghostly  visitor  in  the  house,  and  how  he  had 
asked  to  spend  the  night  in  that  chamber,  so  he  might  see 
the  spectre. 

"You  are  a  very  nervy  lad,"  declared  the  man,  in  admi- 
ration. "There  is  the  right  kind  of  stuff  in  you.  I  am 
greatly  indebted  to  Asher  for  all  he  has  done  for  you; 
but  I  will  pay  him  every  dollar  he  has  spent,  and  re- 
munerate him  for  his  trouble.  You  shall  be  rich  some 
day,  my  son;  the  lost  mine  of  the  Santa  Catarinas  shall 
pour  its  golden  treasure  into  your  hands." 

"What  do  I  care  for  the  treasure,  father ;  I  had  much 
rather  have  you !  Why  do  you  return  to  that  wild  land 
of  murderous  men?  Why  not  stay  here,  and  spend  the 
remainder  of  your  life  in  peace?" 

Charles  Merriwell  shook  his  head. 

"In  that  way  I  could  prove  myself  the  worthless  crea- 


68  The  Last  of  the  Spectre. 

ture  my  own  brother  has  been  fain  to  confess  me.  No, 
Frank,  I  must  go  back.  The  future  cannot  have  so  many 
perils  as  I  have  safely  passed  in  the  past.  Nothing  could 
keep  me  here,  now  that  I  have  this  ring." 

In  his  heart  Frank  felt  well  satisfied  that  his  father 
should  make  this  reply  to  his  appeal. 

When  everything  was  made  clear,  and  they  understood 
each  other,  they  finally  sat  down  together.  Till  the  night 
was  far  spent  and  dawn  was  at  hand  they  sat  and  talked 
in  low  tones,  holding  each  other's  hand.  Frank  told  his 
father  all  about  himself,  his  fortunes,  and  his  plans. 
They  spoke  of  the  future,  but  as  to  that  neither  knew  nor 
dreamed  what  things  lay  before  them. 

The  first  faint  streaks  of  gray  had  begun  to  show  in 
the  east  when  the  man  and  boy  bade  each  other  an  af- 
fectionate farewell. 

Then  Charles  Merriwell  slipped  through  the  opening  in 
the  wall  made  by  the  panel,  which  dosed  behind  him,  and 
Frank  was  alone. 

In  the  morning,  Frank's  uncle  eagerly  asked  the  boy  if 
he  had  not  seen  the  "spectre," 

"I  saw  no  spectre,"  was  Frank's  truthful  reply.  "And 
I  do  not  believe  the  place  is  haunted,  uncle." 

"Then  I  must  be  insane !"  spluttered  the  owner  of  the 
Elms.  "I  saw  it  with  my  own  eyes,  and  you  will  see  it, 
if  you  remain  long  enough." 

"I  am  willing  to  sleep  in  that  room  every  night  during 
my  furlough." 

"You  may  sleep  there  till  you  are  frightened  out." 

"Which  will  not  be  this  year,  uncle." 

"We'll  see,  sir — we'll  see." 

"All  right ;  you  shall  see." 

So  Frank  remained  in  the  chamber,  but  the  spectre  was 
never  again  seen  at  the  Elms. 

Uncle  Asher  and  the  professor  became  great  cronies. 


The  Last  of  the  Spectre.  69 

Many  were  the  practical  jokes  Frank  played  on  them, 
aided  sometimes  by  Toots ;  but  nothing  could  bring  them 
to  another  battle. 

Hans  came  over  and  spent  several  days  with  Frank, 
and  they  made  things  howl  around  the  Elms.  The  Dutch 
boy  and  the  darky  proved  very  diverting  to  Frank,  fon 
whom  the  time  passed  very  swiftly. 

Still  Frank  did  not  regret  when  his  furlough  was 
ended,  and  the  day  arrived  for  the  return  to  Fardale 
Academy.  He  had  received  many  letters  from  his  com- 
rades at  the  academy,  and  he  knew  he  was  greatly  missed 
there.  No  one  could  fill  his  place  as  a  leader  in  all  ath- 
letic sports. 

Before  Frank  left  for  school,  Uncle  Asher  said  to  him : 

"I  have  a  plan  for  your  future,  as  I  stated  on  the  day 
that  you  came  home,  and  I  think  Professor  Scotch  will 
prove  an  excellent  tutor  and  companion  for  you.  I  am 
well  satisfied  and  pleased  with  him.  He  is  not  going  back 
to  Fardale  at  present " 

"Not  going  back?"  cried  Frank,  in  astonishment. 
"Why  is  that?" 

One  day  Professor  Scotch  burst  into  the  house  tri- 
umphantly and  exultantly  waving  a  letter  over  his  head. 

"Hurrah !"  he  roared,  in  his  hoarse  voice.  "The  coast 
is  clear!  I  shall  return  to  Fardale." 

"The  coast  is  clear.?"  questioned  Frank.  "What  do  you 
mean  by  that?" 

"The  widow  will  not  trouble  me  again." 

"Is  that  so?" 

"It  is  a  fact." 

"You  don't  mean  that  she  is  dead  ?" 

"No,  she  isn't  dead,  but  Professor  Jenks  will  wish  he 
were  dead  very  soon,  for  she  has  married  him.  She 
didn't  let  the  grass  grow  under  her  feet  after  I  escaped." 

'  "Poor  old  Jenks !"  said  Frank. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

-  FRIENDS    AND    FOES. 

Back  again  to  Fardale ! 

Frank  Merriwell's  furlough  was  over,  and  he  had  re- 
turned to  the  famous  Military  Academy. 

Being  still  the  most  popular  cadet  in  the  school,  he 
was  given  a  royal  welcome,  and  the  boys  crowded  around 
him,  eager  to  grasp  his  hand. 

Of  his  own  class  there  was  one  who  drew  aside  and 
offered  him  no  welcoming  hand. 

Hugh  Bascomb,  who  had  once  been  the  bully  of  the 
academy,  could  not  forget  that  they  had  been  enemies  in 
the  past  and  that  whenever  he  had  plotted  to  injure  Mer- 
riwell  the  tables  had  been  turned  on  himself. 

Bascomb  had  thought  that  he  would  brace  up  and  pre- 
tend that  he  was.  glad  to  see  Frank  back,  but,  at  the  last 
moment,  he  found  himself  unable  to  play  the  hypocrite  to 
that  extent,  so  he  kept  by  himself,  and  let  the  other  lads 
express  their  pleasure  at  Merriwell's  return. 

Among  the  first  to  grasp  Frank's  hand  and  declare  his 
pleasure  was  Rupert  Reynolds,  who  had  once  been  Bas- 
comb's  ally  and  backer,  but  who  seemed  to  have  changed 
into  one  of  Merriwell's  most  sincere  admirers. 

Paul  Rains  was  not  effusive,  although  he  shook  hands. 
Rains  was  still  Merriwell's  strongest  rival  in  athletics. 

"It's  a  soight  fer  sore  oies  to  see  yez  again,  Frankie,  me 
b'y!"  cried  Barney  Mulloy,  as  he  wrung  Frank's  hand. 
"It's  nobody  else  could  th'  b'ys  miss  so  much  at  all,  at  all." 

"I  assure  you  I  am  glad  to  get  back,"  said  Frank,  in 


Friends  and  Foes.  71 

his  hearty,  convincing  way.  "The  old  academy  seems  like 
home  to  me,  and  I  feel  that  we  all  belong  to  one  big 
family." 

Bart  Hodge  was  next  to  give  Frank's  fingers  a  strong 
pressure.  His  face  wore  a  look  of  deep  satisfaction,  and 
he  said,  in  a  low  tone : 

"Give  me  an  opportunity  to  speak  with  you  as  soon  as 
possible,  old  man.  Something's  in  the  wind." 

Those  words  aroused  Frank's  curiosity,  and,  before 
long,  he  found  an  opportunity  to  slip  away  from  the 
crowd  and  join  Hodge.  Together,  arm  in  arm,  they 
strolled  out  beyond  the  limit  of  the  rows  of  white  tents, 
which  formed  the  summer  encampment  of  the  cadets,  and 
found  a  seat  beneath  the  trees. 

"Well,  Bart,"  said  Frank,  "how  have  things  moved 
since  I  have  been  away?" 

"All  in  one  direction,"  replied  the  dark-faced  lad. 

"What  direction  is  that?" 

"Rains." 

Merriwell  started  and  looked  at  his  companion  keenly. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?"  he  asked. 

"I  told  you  there  was  something  in  the  wind." 

"Yes." 

"Rains  has  been  at  work  since  you  went  away." 

"At  work — how  ?" 

"For  his  own  advantage." 

Frank's  hand  fell  on  Bart's  arm. 

"Tell  me  just  exactly  what  you  mean,"  he  said.  "What 
has  Rains  been  up  to?" 

"Snuff.  You  know  it  was  not  so  very  long  ago  that  he 
attempted  to  defeat  you  at  certain  things,  with  the  hope  of 
shaking  your  popularity  and  stepping  into  your  shoes." 

"I  remember." 

"Well,  he  has  been  working  at  that  little  game  while 
you  have  been  away,  and  he  has  made  long  strides.  He 


72  Friends  and  Foes. 

is  much  more  clever  than  I  imagined.  In  rowing  he  pulls 
a  beautiful  stroke,  he  is  an  elegant  swimmer,  he  holds  the 
academy  record  for  putting  the  shot  and  throwing  the 
hammer,  and  he  pitched  for  us  last  Saturday  when  we 
defeated  the  Brighton  Medical  School  ball  team  nine  to 
four." 
.  Frank  whistled. 

"By  jingoes!"  he  exclaimed.  "I  didn't  know  the  fel- 
low was  a  pitcher." 

"Nor  did  any  of  us;  you  were  away,  and  we  had  to 
have  somebody.  He  is  left-handed  and  throws  a  swift, 
sure  ball,  so  we  thought  it  barely  possible  he  might  bother 
them  some ;  they  weren't  in  the  game  from  start  to  finish. 
They  didn't  score  till  the  seventh  inning,  when  they 
made  two,  and  they  got  the  others  in  the  ninth.  Our  half 
came  last,  and  so,  of  course,  we  did  not  play  it." 

"But  has  he  anything  more  than  speed  and  a  left- 
handed  delivery?" 

"Yes,"  replied  Bart,  slowly,  and  with  apparent  reluc- 
tance, "he  has  curves.  They  are  neither  wide  nor  sharp, 
but  his  left-handed  delivery  makes  them  nasty." 

"Then,"  said  Frank,  with  satisfaction,  "he  is  the  very 
fellow  I  need  to  help  me  out  in  our  games.  Occasionally 
any  team  will  fall  on  a  pitcher  and  pound  him.  If  such 
a  thing  should  happen  to  me,  I  could  step  out  and  let 
Rains  go  in.  The  change  would  be  almost,  certain  to 
bother  the  batters  who  went  up  against  him." 

Bart  smiled  in  an  odd  way. 

"That  would  be  exactly  what  Rains  would  like,"  he  de- 
clared. "He  is  not  the  fellow  to  play  second  fiddle  to 
any  one." 

"And  you  think " 

"That  he  would  do  his  best  to  throw  you,  and  take 
your  place  as  captain  of  the  team." 

"If  he  were  chosen  to  captain  the  team,  I  would  step 


Friends  and  Foes.  73 

down  and  out.  I  do  not  want  to  hold  the  position  a  mo- 
ment after  it  is  thought  that  some  other  fellow  is  more 
competent." 

"You  are  altogether  too  generous,  Frank.  You  have 
a  position  that  you  will  have  to  fight  to  maintain." 

"You  should  know  that  I  am  capable  of  fighting  some." 

Hodge  nodded. 

""That's  right ;  you  are  a  born  fighter  and  a  natural 
general.  The  fellows  acknowledge  that.  You  will  retain 
your  present  position  and  popularity  in  this  school  just 
as  long  as  you  show  yourself  worthy." 

"I  defeated  Rains  once." 

"In  certain  things ;  but  it  is  said  that  he  has  practiced 
and  worked  constantly  from  that  time  to  this.  Yesterday 
I  was  told  that  he  had  beaten  your  running  jump  by  two 
inches,  and  he  says  he  will  not  rest  till  he  can  beat  it  a 
foot." 

"That's  good  stuff!"  cried  Frank,  heartily.  "A  fel- 
low with  that  sort  of  determination  is  a  rival  worth  hav- 
ing. He  will  wake  me  up,  and  put  me  on  my  mettle." 

Bart  looked  at  his  companion  queerly. 

"You  are  a  peculiar  chap,  Frank  Merriwell !"  he  ex- 
claimed. "Are  you  never  envious  or  jealous?" 

"I  am  not  perfect,  by  a  long  distance,  but  I  do  not  be- 
lieve in  being  envious  or  jealous,  and  I  honor  an  honor- 
able rival  or  foe.  It  is  the  sneak  that  I  detest." 

"Well,  I  do  not  think  Rains  is  a  sneak,  but  I  fancy  you 
shook  hands  with  one  not  long  ago." 

"Is  that  so?" 

"It  is  just  so." 

"I  don't  know,"  came  slowly  from  Frank's  lips.  "It 
doesn't  seem  to  me  as  if  any  of  the  fellows  could  wish  me 
harm — any  of  those  who  shook  hands  with  me." 

"But  there  was  one  who  shook  your  hand  and  hated 


74  Friends  and  Foes. 

you  at  the  same  time — a  fellow  who  will  injure  you  at  the 
first  opportunity." 

"Name  him." 

"Rupert  Reynolds." 

"Now,  aren't  you  a  little  hard  on  Reynolds,  Bart?  You 
dislike  him  because  he  seconded  Bascomb  when  I  had 
some  difficulty  with  the  bully.  Since  that  time  Reynolds 
has  seemed  very  friendly,  and  I  think  he  was  well  con- 
verted." 

"You'll  find  you  are  mistaken.  That  fellow  is  a  snake 
in  the  grass,  and  he  is  waiting  a  good  opportunity  to 
strike  you.  He  is  playing  the  hypocrite  now,  and  I  de- 
test a  hypocrite.  There  was  a  time  when  I  was  your 
enemy,  Frank,  but  there  never  was  the  time  that  you  could 
truthfully  accuse  me  of  playing  the  hypocrite.  I  let  you 
know  what  I  thought  of  you.  I  won't  say  I  did  not  try 
one  or  two  mean  tricks,  but  you  made  me  heartily 
ashamed  of  them  by  your  generosity." 

"You  have  proved  a  good  friend  to  me  since,  and  I  am 
inclined  to  believe  you  misjudge  Reynolds.  It  does  not 
seem  possible  the  fellow  is  an  enemy." 

"Wait  and  see ;  you  will  find  out  in  due  time.  A  week 
from  next  Saturday  is  our  field  day,  and  you  will  find 
Rains  a  hot  rival  for  all  honors.  At  the  same  time,  I 
advise  you  to  look  out  for  Reynolds." 

"Are  Rains  and  Reynolds  friendly?" 

"Somewhat." 

"Are  they  very  friendly  ?" 

"I  don't  know  as  you  can  call  them  that,  but  I  have 
seen  them  talking  together  several  times." 

"That's  nothing  strange.  Almost  any  two  fellows  in 
the  academy  may  be  seen  talking  together.  Why  should 
Reynolds  help  Rains  to  throw  me  ?" 

"Because  he  hates  you.  Reynolds  would  like  to  be- 
come popular  himself,  but  he  is  not  built  of  the  right  stuff. 


Friends  and  Foes.  75 

As  long  as  he  dislikes  you,  he  would  be  willing  to  pull 
you  down  and  help  lift  almost  anybody  into  your  place. 
I  tell  you  to  look  out  for  him,  old  man." 

"All  right;  I'll  look  out.  See,  some  of  the  fellows 
have  located  me  again.  They  are  coming  this  way,  and 
we  won't  be  given  a  chance  to  chat  privately  any  longer. 
You  can  tell  me  all  about  things  later  on.  Come,  let's 
go  to  meet  them." 

"All  right." 

So  the  tent-mates  and  chums  arose  and  advanced  to 
meet  the  group  approaching. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

FRANK     IS     WARY. 

"Pwhat  are  yez  troying  to  do,  Frankie,  me  b'y?"  cried 
Barney  Mulloy,  as  they  approached.  "Is  it  yer  friends  ye 
are  troying  to  run  away  from,  Oi  dunno?" 

"I  was  having  a  little  chat  with  Bart,"  Frank  replied. 
"What's  in  the  atmosphere — anything  new?" 

"Nivver  a  thing,"  assured  the  Irish  lad,  but  he  gave 
Frank  a  shrewd  wink  that  meant  a  great  deal. 

The  cadets  gathered  around  Merriwell,  who  noted  that 
Barney  drew  a  little  aside,  making  a  slight  beckoning  mo- 
tion with  his  head. 

At  the  first  .opportunity,  Frank  joined  the  Irish  youth, 
who  drew  him  a  little  away  from  the  others,  and  swiftly 
said,  speaking  in  a  low,  cautious  tone: 

"Av  ye  don't  fale  loike  runnin'  up  against  Rains,  don't 
go  to  th'  gym  whin  ye're  asked.  He'll  be  there,  doin'  av 
his  pritty.  Take  me  advoice  an'  soize  th'  felly  up  before 
ye  tackle  him.  He  manes  to  lay  over  yez  this  trip." 

"Is  it  a  put  up  job  ?" 

"Well,  something  loike  thot.  Th'  b'ys  think  it  would 
be  sport  to  see  th'  two  av  yez  run  up  against  ache  other." 

"What  do  you  think,  Barney?" 

"Rains  is  roight  in  it,  take  me  worrud  fer  thot.  Ye'll 
do  well  to  get  in  thrim  before  ye  troy  him  a  whirrul." 

"I  am  rather  soft  from  my  laziness  during  fur- 
lough, and " 

"Harden  up  before  ye  go  against  Rains." 

"How  will  it  be  then  ?" 


Frank  is  Wary.  77 

"Frankie,  me  b'y,  ye  know  phwat  Oi  think  av  yez. 
There  don't  be  wan  in  Fardale  thot  is  yer  aquil  whin  ye 're 
in  trim." 

"Thank  you,  Barney.  I  am  glad  to  find  you  have  not 
lost  your  confidence  in  me." 

At  that  moment,  Rupert  Reynolds  cried : 

"Come,  Merriwell,  old  man,  let's  go  over  to  the  gym. 
You  must  want  to  try  a  whirl  at  the  clubs  by  this  time, 
and  you  know  it  is  a  treat  for  us  to  see  you  juggle  them." 

To  Barney's  surprise,  Frank  allowed  himself  to  be 
borne  off  toward  the  gymnasium. 

The  Irish  lad  followed,  muttering  to  himself : 

"Av  he  thinks  Rains  is  aisy,  he'll  make  a  big  mistake. 
Oi  warned  him  so  he  wouldn't  be  thrapped." 

Frank  had  no  idea  of  being  trapped,  but  he  wished  to 
see  Rains  at  his  best.  If  the  fellow  had  made  such  im- 
provement, it  was  best  to  know  just  how  expert  he  had 
become. 

There  was  an  unusually  large  gathering  in  the  gym- 
nasium for  that  time  of  year,  as  the  boys  preferred  to  take 
their  exercise  out  doors  in  warm  weather. 

Frank  saw  there  was  really  something  in  the  wind. 
The  cadets  seemed  to  understand  that  Rains  had  become 
an  open  rival  of  Merriwell's,  and  it  seemed  as  if  a  rumor 
had  gone  round  that  the  two  lads  would  meet  that  after- 
noon in  the  gym. 

Rains  had  donned  tights  since  Frank  was  with  him  a 
short  time  before,  and  he  was  just  beginning  work  on  the 
bars. 

"That  is  crafty,"  thought  Frank.  "He  knows  I  do  not 
believe  there  is  any  real  advantage  to  be  obtained  from 
that  kind  of  work,  and  I  seldom  indulge  in  it.  He  has 
Delected  my  weakest  point." 

The  spectators  noted  Merriwell's  entrance,  and  there 
was  a  stir  among  them.  . 


78  Frank  is  Wary. 

Frank  joined  the  others,  and  stood  watching  Rains, 
chatting  easily  with  the  lads  who  flocked  around  him. 

Rains  began  with  the  simplest  feats,  gradually  working 
up  to  the  more  difficult  ones,  and  doing  everything  with 
an  ease  and  skill  that  indicated  he  was  destined  to  become 
a  master  in  that  line. 

As  his  feats  became  more  intricate  and  difficult,  oc- 
casionally applause  came  from  the  spectators,  and,  once 
or  twice,  Merriwell  led  in  the  hand-clapping. 

"That  fellow  is  a  wonder,"  declared  Rupert  Reynolds, 
speaking  to  Frank. 

"He  is  certainly  most  expert  on  the  bars." 

"I  don't  think  he  has  his  equal  in  the  academy." 

"I  don't  know  as  he  has." 

"You  are  something  of  an  athlete,"  said  Reynolds,  with 
a  hidden  sneer,  although  outwardly  showing  great  friend- 
liness. "We'd  like  to  see  what  you  can  do  on  the  bars." 

Frank  smiled. 

"Without  doubt  you  would.  I  seldom  try  the  bars, 
and  I  do  not  pretend  to  be  an  expert  in  that  line." 

"What's  that?"  cried  Reynolds,  attracting  attention  by 
his  loud  words.  "Do  you,  the  champion  athlete  of  Far- 
dale,  acknowledge  that  you  can  be  defeated  at  anything  ?" 

"I  can  be  defeated  at  many  things,"  was  the  quiet  reply. 
"I  am  not  conceited  enough  to  think  myself  the  smartest 
fellow  in  the  world." 

"And  you  acknowledge  that  Rains  can  outdo  you  on 
the  bars?" 

"I  believe  he  can.  Not  taking  much  interest  in  that 
kind  of  work,  I  am  not  well  up  in  it." 

"Well,  I  never  thought  that  of  you !"  declared  Rupert, 
as  if  greatly  astonished.  "I  thought  you  set  yourself  up 
as  an  all-round  champion." 

The  warm  color  began  to  glow  in  Frank's  cheeks.  He 
did  not  fancy  Reynolds'  words  or  manner,  but  he  was  a 


Frank  is  Wary.  79 

strong  believer  in  self-control,  and  so  he  remained  calm 
and  repressed. 

"You  made  a  mistake,  Reynolds ;  I  do  not  set  myself 
up  as  a  champion." 

"But  the  fellows  call  you  that." 

"They  have  a  right  to  do  so,  if  they  wish." 

"You  do  not  mean  to  say  you  don't  intend  to  defend  the 
title?" 

"Defend  it?  Why,  I  am  always  ready  to  take  part  in 
friendly  sports  and  contests,  as  you  must  know,  and  I 
usually  do  my  best.  If  I  am  defeated,  it  will  be  by  some 
fellow  who  is  smarter  than  I  am.  And  I  assure  you  I 
shall  not  be  churl  enough  to  sulk  over  it." 

This  did  not  seem  to  satisfy  Reynolds,  who  plainly 
wished  to  bring  about  a  trial  of  skill  between  Rains  and 
Merriwell. 

"Of  course  there  are  things  which  you  pretend  to  be 
expert  at,"  he  observed.  "Just  what  do  you  consider  your 
best  hold?" 

"Talking,"  laughed  Frank.  "I  am  exceedingly  expert 
with  my  mouth,  and  you  are  the  only  fellow  to  whom  I 
willingly  surrender  the  palm.  You  keep  yourself  in  such 
perfect  practice  that  you  must  be  an  expert." 

Reynolds  flushed  and  bit  his  lip,  hearing  some  of  the 
boys  laugh  softly. 

,  "You're  not  serious,  Merriwell,"  he  declared.  "Of 
course  you  do  not  mean  to  pose  as  a  champion  if  some- 
body else  is  your  superior,  and " 

"I  have  told  you  that  I  do  not  pose  as  a  champion  at  all. 
You  persist  in  misrepresenting  my  position,  Reynolds." 

"Do  you  dare  go  up  against  Rains  in  an  all-round  con- 
test?" demanded  Rupert,  flatly. 

"I  expect  to  do  so." 

"When?" 


8o  Frank  is  Wary. 

"On  our  regular  field  day,  if  he  takes  part  in  the  sports 
and  contests." 

"That  is  putting  it  off." 

"Not  very  far." 

"I  believe  you  defeated  Rains  at  the  long  running  jump 
once  on  a  time?" 

"Well?" 

"He  has  beaten  your  record." 

"So  I  have  heard" 

"Say,  Merriwell,  old  man,  if  you've  got  nerve,  you'll 
meet  him  to-day  and  now — right  here.  You  are  both 
here,  and  there  are  enough  fellows  present  to  decide  who 
is  the  best  man.  He'll  jump  with  you,  or  he  will  do  any- 
thing you  like.  What  shall  it  be?" 

"Nothing,"  replied  Frank,  quietly  and  firmly. 

"Nothing!     It  can't  be  you  refuse?" 

"I  do.  You  seem  to  forget  that  I  have  been  on  fur- 
lough for  the  last  three  weeks,  and  so  must  be  slightly 
out  of  condition.  You  seem  to  forget  that  I  have  just 
returned,  and  I  have  not  even  had  time  to  rest  and  re- 
cuperate from  the  journey.  You  seem  to  have  an  idea 
that  you  can  touch  my  pride  or  vanity,  and  lead  me  into 
making  an  exhibition  that  will  not  do  myself  justice.  I 
am  not  nearly  so  conceited  as  you  appear  to  imagine, 
Reynolds,  but  I  fancy  I  am  shrewd  enough  to  see  through 
your  little  game.  There  are  other  days  coming,  and  I 
will  be  on  hand." 

Then  Frank  turned  away  and  left  the  gymnasium. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

TRAINING  FOR  THE  CONTESTS. 

Frank's  action  was  a  disappointment  to  many,  as  the 
boys  had  been  eager  for  a  contest  between  him  and  Rains. 
Some  were  ready  enough  to  hint  that  he  had  not  dared 
face  his  rival,  but  the  most  of  them  agreed  that  he  had 
shown  good  judgment  and  would  be  found  ready  enough 
for  anything  when  the  proper  time  came. 

Rains  said  nothing.  He  was  a  fellow  who  seldom  com- 
mitted himself  in  words,  but  he  had  a  way  of  looking  un- 
utterable things.  When  asked  if  he  felt  confident  of 
holding  his  own  with  Merriwell  in  athletics,  he  simply 
smiled,  but  it  was  a  smile  of  conscious  ability. 

Frank  returned  to  his  studies  and  his  duties  with  new 
courage  and  enthusiasm.  In  the  short  time  that  he  had 
been  away  he  found  the  new  cadets,  or  plebes,  had 
changed  greatly  for  the  better,  now  being  able  to  pass 
through  the  drills  and  attend  to  their  duties  with  a 
promptness  and  precision  that  spoke  well  for  the  system 
at  Fardale. 

Frank's  own  company,  however,  of  which  he  was  first 
sergeant,  had  lost  ground,  if  anything.  Everything 
seemed  to  indicate  that  the  officer  in  charge  of  them  dur- 
ing his  absence  had  lacked  force,  and  so  the  boys  had 
grown  somewhat  negligent  and  careless. 

.Merriwell  was  strict,  without  being  overbearing.  He 
would  tolerate  no  negligence  or  laziness,  and  so  it  came 
about  that  he  had  occasion  to  reprimand  several  of  the 
cadets,  both  at  drill  and  inspection,  which,  however,  he 


82  Training  for  the  Contests. 

did  in  a  quiet  way  that  was  not  meant  to  attract  general 
attention. 

Frank's  secret  enemies  sought  to  turn  this  against 
him.  He  was  said  to  be  "boning  military"  in  order  to 
make  a  show. 

As  it  was  not  unusual  for  a  cadet  in  Merriwell's  posi- 
tion to  find  fault  with  those  beneath  him  in  rank  and  pick 
flaws  where  such  a  proceeding  was  quite  uncalled  for,  it 
was  not  strange  that  some  members  of  other  companies 
were  led  to  believe  that  Frank's  rise  in  the  world  had 
given  him  a  swelled  head. 

But  those  who  knew  him  best  could  not  be  led  to  be- 
lieve that  he  had  allowed  the  chevrons  on  his  sleeves  to 
change  his  nature. 

Hodge  heard  murmurs  of  all  this,  and,  of  course,  he 
told  Frank.  Merriwell  looked  troubled,  but  said: 

"If  anybody  is  trying  to  injure  me,  it  is  for  no  just 
cause,  and  their  efforts  are  liable  to  bring  discomfort  on 
their  own  head,  as  has  happened  in  the  past." 

"What  do  you  mean  to  do  about  it  ?"  asked  Bart. 

"I  mean  to  keep  right  about  my  business,  and  ignore 
it  completely." 

This  was  so  much  unlike  Hodge's  passionate,  re- 
vengeful nature  that  it  filled  him  with  wonder. 

"You  are  a  singular  fellow,  Frank  Merriwell,"  he  de- 
clared. "I  cannot  understand  you  yet." 

Among  Frank's  enemies  who  were  working  secretly 
and  accomplishing  much  was  Rupert  Reynolds. 

This  fellow's  father  was  dead,  and  a  considerable  for- 
tune had  been  left  to  Rupert,  over  whom  his  mother  was 
appointed  guardian.  His  mother  was  illy  adapted  to  the 
task,  for  she  was  of  a  weak  and  indulgent  nature,  and 
Rupert  had  been  allowed  to  do  about  as  he  pleased  till  he 
was  thoroughly  spoiled.  He  spent  his  money  lavishly, 


Training  for  the  Contests.  83 

unchecked  and  unrebuked  by  his  mother,  who  continually 
kept  him  well  supplied. 

With  his  free  use  of  money,  it  was  not  strange  that 
Rupert  had  succeeded  in  gathering  about  him  a  large 
number  of  sycophantic  fellows,  who  were  delighted  to 
help  him  spend  his  money,  and  whom  he  seemed  to  mold 
easily  and  quickly  to  his  own  ideas  and  opinions. 

For  the  most  part,  this  was  outward  seeming,  as  there 
were  not  a  few  among  them  who  accepted  his  hospitality 
and  seemed  to  agree  with  his  opinions,  but  secretly  enter- 
tained a  sort  of  contempt  for  him. 

Friendship  bought  by  money  is  always  shallow  and 
easily  broken. 

Knowing  he  was  not  able  to  outmatch  Merriwell  in 
athletics,  yet  wishing  to  overthrow  Frank  in  some  way, 
Reynolds  selected  Rains  as  the  instrument  to  accomplish 
his  desires. 

Rains  was  a  fellow  who  seemed  modest  and  retiring, 

but  who  was,  in  truth,  exceedingly  conceited.     Although 

•  he  never  boasted,  he  had  a  way  of  thinking  that  he  could 

accomplish  almost  anything,  and  he  often  regarded  with 

scorn  those  who  were  his  superiors. 

He  formed  one  of  the  circle  who  accepted  Reynolds' 
hospitality  and  held  Reynolds  in  contempt  as  a  shallow- 
brained  spendthrift. 

Reynolds  had  sought  to  push  Rains  to  the  front  while 
Frank  was  absent  from  the  academy. 

Rains  pretended  to  be  quite  indifferent  to  any  prospect 
of  advancement  over  Merriwell,  but  he  lent  himself  readi- 
ly to  Rupert's  scheme,  even  while  he  seemed  to  be  passive. 

Rains  had  all  the  shrewdness  that  Reynolds  lacked. 
Although  he  somewhat  underestimated  Merriwell's  abil- 
ity, he  had  encountered  Frank  in  the  past,  and  had  been 
humiliated.  He  was  determinated  that,  if  any  "accident" 
should  prevent  him  from  defeating  Merriwell  when  they 


84  Training  for  the  Contests. 

came  together  again,  he  would  hold  a  position  that  would 
not  cover  him  with  shame. 

So  Reynolds  continued  his  secret  work  against  Merri- 
well  after  the  latter  had  returned  from  furlough,  and 
Rains  looked  on  with  passive  and  pretended  indifference. 

If  Hodge  had  told  the  truth,  Merriwell  must  have  seen 
there  was  an  influence  at  work  against  him.  After  his 
refusal  to  meet  Rains  in  the  gymnasium  there  were  a  few 
that  had  greeted  him  heartily  on  his  return  that  grew 
rather  distant  and  formal. 

The  more  Hodge  saw  of  this  the  more  he  felt  like 
fighting.  He  growled  a  great  deal  to  himself,  but  he 
saw  it  was  useless  to  say  anything  to  Merriwell. 

Frank  was  no  wire-puller.  He  had  won  his  popularity 
and  standing  by  genuine  worth  and  merit,  and  by  these 
would  he  retain  the  position,  if  he  retained  it  at  all. 

It  must  not  be  fancied  that  he  did  not  heed  the  intrigues 
against  him.  The  knowledge  that  he  had  enemies  who, 
were  working  to  bring  about  his  overthrow  put  him  on 
his  mettle  and  aroused  his  pride.  He  determined  to  let 
them  know  just  what  he  was  capable  of  doing. 

For  this  reason,  beginning  with  the  very  day  after  his 
return,  he  began  visiting  the  gymnasium  regularly,  and  set 
to  work  putting  himself  in  the  best  condition  possible  in 
the  short  time  remaining  before  field  day. 

Of  course,  his  movements  were  watched,  and  it  was 
but  natural  that  he  should  on  several  occasions  find  Rains 
and  Reynolds  where  they  could  watch  him  at  work. 

As  soon  as  he  made  out  that  they  were  trying  to  size 
him  up  at  everything,  he  began  to  practice  a  little  decep- 
tion on  them,  for  he  did  not  put  forth  his  best  efforts,  al- 
though he  frequently  seemed  to  do  so. 

Thus  it  came  about  that  Rains  was  led  to  fancy  that 
he  could  match  Frank  or  excel  him  in  most  things.  In 
the  standing  and  running  wide  jump  he  fancied  he  was 


Training  for  the  Contests.  85 

now  able  to  defeat  the  lad  whom  he  meant  to  rival,  for 
Reynolds  had  put  the  tape  on  the  marks  left  by  Frank,  and 
they  were  found  to  be  six  or  eight  inches  under  Rains' 
record. 

Although  Merriwell  and  Rains  were  certain  to  be  the 
two  leaders  in  the  fieldday  exercises,  there  were  others 
who  expected  to  make  records  for  Fardale. 

Hodge,  Mulloy,  and  Dunnerwust  contemplated  enter- 
ing for  various  contests,  Gray  and  Winslow  had  declared 
their  intentions  to  take  part,  and  short-legged,  jolly 
Sammy  Smiles  said  he  would  "show  'em  he  was  no 
snail"  when  it  came  to  sprinting. 

Amot/g  the  plebes  Ephraim  Gallup,  of  Vermont,  had 
expressed  a  determination  to  "show  um  what  kind  of  trees 
makes  shingles,  b'gosh !"  and  he  was  said  to  possess  re- 
markable strength,  although  he  was  rather  slow  and  cum- 
bersome in  his  movements. 

Of  course  Frank  had  visited  Inza  Burrage  since  his  re- 
turn to  school.  That  he  did  at  the  first  opportunity. 

Somehow  Inza  had  heard  of  the  rivalry  against  the  lad 
she  admired  above  all  others  in  the  academy,  and  she 
was  highly  indignant  over  it.  She  asserted  her  faith  in 
Frank's  ability  to  "beat  them  all,"  and  she  said  she  would 
be  on  hand  to  encourage  him  in  any  and  every  way  pos- 
sible. 

Frank  felt  that,  with  such  encouragement,  he  could  not 
fail,  and  he  told  her  so. 

Her  words  led  him  to  put  every  energy  to  the  task 
before  him,  and  he  found  very  few  spare  moments  before 
the  day  appointed  for  the  contests  came  around. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ON  THE  FIELD. 

The  day  was  perfect.  The  sun  shone  bright  and  warm, 
but  a  cool  breeze  from  the  sea  came  in  and  tempered  the 
heat.  It  was  such  a  day  as  serves  to  put  an  athlete  at  his 
best. 

The  country  far  and  near  knew  it  was  field  day  at  Far- 
dale,  and  the  early  morning  trains  brought  loads  of  spec- 
tators to  the  village.  Later  in  the  forenoon  an  excursion 
train  brought  in  a  mighty  crowd. 

Shortly  after  seven  o'clock  people  began  to  gather  at 
the  grounds,  plainly  determined  to  obtain  positions  of 
vantage  from  which  the  exercises  and  feats  could  be  wit- 
nessed. 

By  eight  o'clock  the  road  to  Fardale  village  was  lined 
with  people,  all  headed  toward  the  academy. 

Carriages  and  conveyances  of  all  sorts  did  a  most  flour- 
ishing business,  and  the  road  was  soon  ankle  deep  in  dust. 

The  field  where  the  parades  and  athletic  feats  were  to 
take  place  had  been  properly  inclosed.  On  three  sides 
was  rising  ground,  so  that  the  spectators  would  have  po- 
sitions enabling  them  to  witness  everything  at  an  ad- 
vantage. 

No  efforts  had  been  made  to  provide  seats,  except  for 
certain  dignitaries  and  people  of  prominence. 

There  was  a  band  stand  at  one  side  of  the  field.  It 
was  decorated  with  flags,  and  other  flags  were  promi- 
nently displayed  at  various  points.  The  forenoon  was  to 
be  given  to  military  drills  and  displays,  which  were  to 
commence  promptly  at  nine  o'clock. 


On  the  Field.  87 

Before  that  hour  arrived  the  field  was  surrounded  on 
three  sides  by  a  great  throng,  all  eager,  expectant,  and 
excited.  Sentinels  patrolled  the  lines  and  kept  the  crowd 
back. 

The  spectators  were  not  allowed  to  close  in  on  the 
side  nearest  the  encampment,  which  was  kept  clear  and 
open. 

Shortly  before  nine  the  raised  seats  for  dignitaries  were 
filled.  Professor  Gunn  and  his  faculty  filed  in,  accom- 
panied by  numerous  honored  guests,  among  whom  were 
no  small  number  of  ladies. 

The  appearance  of  the  professors  brought  a  round  of 
applause  from  the  great  crowd. 

A  hush  followed.  Everybody  was  eagerly  awaiting 
the  appearance  of  the  cadets. 

Over  in  the  camp  there  was  a  certain  stir,  but  every- 
thing was  being  done  with  order  and  precision. 

Boom! 

The  heavy  report  of  a  cannon  startled  the  throng. 

It  was  a  signal,  and  on  the  instant  the  cadet  band  was 
heard  to  strike  up  a  popular  march,  and  the  music  ap- 
proached from  the  direction  of  the  encampment. 

"Here  they  come !" 

The  cry  went  up  from  the  great  crowd,  and  the  excite- 
ment and  expectation  became  intense. 

Out  from  the  camp  came  the  foremost  subdivision, 
platoon  after  platoon  of  bluedad  figures,  each  line  straight 
as  a  ruler,  marching  as  if  one  brain  and  one  impulse 
governed  them  all,  their  uniforms  spotless,  their  equip- 
ments and  weapons  glittering  in  the  sunshine,  their  youth- 
ful faces  grave  and  dignified,  their  bearing  soldierly. 

The  band  was  in  advance,  and  on  no  previous  year 
had  the  Fardale  Cadet  Band  been  as  perfect  as  this  year. 
They  played  like  veterans,  and  their  music  was  blood- 
quickening  and  soul-inspiring. 


88  On  the  Field. 

Along  the  side  of  the  field  they  came  till  a  certain 
point  was  reached,  and  then,  somewhat  back  from  the 
front,  a  strong,  manly  voice  was  heard  to  order : 

"Column  left!" 

In  a  twinkling  the  officer  in  advance  whirled  about  and 
ordered : 

"Left  wheel." 

Still  with  the  band  in  its  proper  position,  around  swept 
the  perfect  line,  and  platoon  after  platoon  did  the  same 
thing  at  exactly  the  same  point. 

Boom!  Boom!  Boom! 

At  the  instant  that  the  head  of  the  line  entered  the  field 
the  distant  batteries  down  by  the  cove  thundered  forth. 
In  some  way  it  had  been  arranged  so  that  this  occurred 
at  precisely  the  right  moment. 

Then  it  was  that  the  magnificent  flag  was  run  up  to  the 
head  of  the  flagstaff  near  the  bandstand,  and  the  specta- 
tors burst  into  a  mighty  cheer  that  was  heard  far  beyond 
Fardale  village. 

The  professors  and  the  guests  were  standing.  As  they 
passed,  the  cadets  saluted,  and  the  cheering  continued. 
On  the  three  sides  of  the  field  where  the  spectators  gath- 
ered white  billows  of  fluttering  handkerchiefs  could  be 


Never  before  had  such  a  spectacle  been  witnessed  at 
Fardale  Academy.  The  day  had  surely  opened  most  aus- 
piciously. 

Among  the  guests  of  honor  with  the  professors  was 
one  whose  bright  eyes  searched  excitedly  and  eagerly  for 
Frank  Merriwell.  When  he  was  found,  those  eyes  fol- 
lowed his  splendid  figure  with  open  admiration,  and  Inza 
Burrage  regretted  that  he  could  not  even  give  her  a 
glance. 

iWhen  the  cadets  were  all  on  the  field,  they  formed  in 


On  the  Field.  89 

order  for  inspection,  while  the  band  took  its  place  in  the 
stand  and  played  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner." 

At  this  point  something  occurred  that  was  not  on  the 
programme. 

Almost  with  one  accord,  the  great  throng  of  people 
began  singing,  and  a  mighty  chorus  it  was. 

"  'Tis  the  Star-Spangled  Banner,  oh,  long  may  it  wave 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave." 

Many  an  eye  was  dimmed  with  mist,  and  hundreds  of 
hearts  beat  strong  with  patriotism  and  love  of  country. 

When  this  was  over,  Professor  Gunn  spoke  briefly,  and 
his  words  aroused  further  enthusiasm. 

Then  the  professors  and  their  guests  were  seated,  and 
the  inspection  began. 

Following  the  inspection  was  the  parade  and  drill,  and 
this  was  most  successful.  The  cadets  acquitted  them- 
selves in  a  manner  that  aroused  unbounded  admiration, 
and  caused  not  a  few  to  remark  that  Fardale  Academy 
could  not  possibly  be  far  behind  West  Point. 

Ten  o'clock  was  the  time  set  for  the  skirmish  drill  to 
come  off.  It  was  expected  that  this  would  prove  exciting 
and  of  unusual  interest,  and  it  was  no  disappointment. 

Long  before  this,  Frank  had  succeeded  in  locating  Inza, 
and  he  knew  her  eyes  were  watching  him  almost  con- 
stantly. 

In  the  skirmish  drill  Frank  handled  his  company  with 
a  skill  that  brought  rounds  of  applause  from  the  wit- 
nesses. Some  days  before  he  had  seen  the  possibility  of 
making  a  hit  in  this  drill,  as  it  allowed  something  besides 
the  ordinary  evolutions,  and  he  had  practiced  and  per- 
fected his  company  in  one  or  two  novel  movements  which 
could  not  fail  to  attract  attention. 

They  did  attract  attention,  and  the  company  was  given 
a  kearty  cheer,  while  more  than  one  among  the  great 


90  On  the  Field. 

throng  was  heard  asking  the  name  of  the  manly-looking 
lad  in  command. 

Frank's  foes  burned  with  envy. 

But  for  the  fact  that  he  must  have  drawn  censure  on 
himself,  Reynolds  would  have  bungled  in  these  move- 
ments, so  that  the  unity  of  action  would  have  been  broken. 

He  longed  to  do  so,  but  he  knew  what  must  follow, 
and  he  scarcely  cared  to  arouse  Lieutenant  Gordan,  be- 
neath whose  eye  every  movement  was  taking  place. 

When  the  parade  was  over,  the  lieutenant  called  for 
Merriwell.  Frank  was  soon  saluting  before  him. 

"Mr.  Merriwell,"  said  the  lieutenant,  distinctly  and 
clearly,  "allow  me  to  congratulate  you  on  the  success  of 
your  command  in  the  skirmish  drill.  From  what  source 
did  you  obtain  those  new  movements  ?" 

"To  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  they  were  my  own  in- 
vention, sir,"  replied  Frank,  his  voice  steady,  although 
his  face  was  flushed. 

"Then  you  have  more  than  ordinary  military  tact  and 
ability,  sir,"  declared  the  lieutenant,  after  which  Frank 
was  dismissed  and  returned  to  his  command. 

Rupert  Reynolds  was  boiling,  and  he  felt  that  no  words ' 
could  express  his  feelings. 

"Look  at  the  cad !"  he  hissed,  beneath  his  breath.  "See 
him  swell  like  a  peacock!  But  I'll  fix  him  before  the 
day  is  over !" 

Wat  Snell,  Frank's  old  enemy,  stood  shoulder  to  shoul- 
der with  Reynolds,  and  he  plainly  heard  the  words,  re- 
plying in  a  whisper : 

"Take  my  advice,  and  let  him  alone.  Nobody  has  been 
able  to  harm  him  here,  and  whoever  tries  it  is  sure  to  be 
sorry." 

"Bah !"  almost  muttered  Rupert.  .  "They  have  all 
blundered.  I  will  not  be  so  bungling." 


On  the  Field.  91 

"May  you  be  successful,"  returned  Wat;  "but  I  don't 
think  you  stand  any  show." 

Inza  was  delighted  at  the  honor  Frank  had  won.  May 
Blossom,  her  particular  friend  and  chum,  was  at  her  side, 
and  the  two  girls  clapped  their  hands  with  enthusiasm 
(and  delight  on  several  occasions.  Neither  of  them  missed 
the  lieutenant's  words,  and,  as  Frank  returned  to  his  posi- 
tion, Inza  gave  May  a  hug,  as  she  whispered : 

"Isn't  he  just  perfectly  splendid!" 

"Of  course  he  is,"  replied  May.  "Next  to  Mr.  Rains, 
I  think  he  is  the  handsomest  fellow  on  the  field." 

"Next  to  Mr.  Rains !"  returned  Inza,  with  great  scorn. 
"Why,  Mr.  Rains  doesn't  cut  any  figure  at  all  with  him !" 

"That  is  your  opinion,  Inza,  but  you  know  I  think  Mr. 
Rains  a  splendid  fellow.  You  must  remember  that  he 
pulled  us  both  out  of  the  water  last  winter,  when  we  had 
broken  through  the  ice,  and  saved  us  from  drowning !" 

"I  remember  it  very  well,  but  I  also  remember  that 
Frank  Merriwell  plunged  into  the  water  and  kept  us 
from  going  under  the  ice.  But  for  that  act,  we  should 
have  been  lost,  and  Mr.  Rains  would  never  have  pulled 
us  out." 

"I  do  not  deny  it,  Inza.  (Mr.  Merriwell  is  a  very  brave 
fellow ;  but  you  must  allow  me  to  admire  Mr.  Rains  the 
more.  You  would  not  like  it  much  if  I  were  to  prefer 
Frank  Merriwell,  and  try  to  win  his  favor.  You  must 
remember  that  you  thought  so  once,  and " 

"Oh,  do  hush !"  interrupted  Inza,  her  face  growing 
scarlet.  "The  next  thing  will  be  a  mock  engagement  or 
battle.  That  will  surely  be  exciting." 

"But  not  nearly  so  pleasant  as  a  real  engagement  that 
is  likely  to  take  place  some  day,"  said  mischievous  May. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

ACCIDENT     OR     DESIGN? 

The  mock  battle  had  been  planned  as  the  great  event 
of  the  forenoon. 

It  was  near  eleven  o'clock  when  everything  was  ready 
for  this  exhibition. 

The  engagement  began  in  a  spirited  manner,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  the  spectators  grew  breathless  with 
suspense  and  excitement 

As  the  engagement  grew  hotter,  Frank  Merriwell  led 
a  bayonet  charge  against  the  enemy. 

Just  how  it  happened  no  one  seemed  able  to  tell,  but 
at  a  certain  point  he  tripped  and  fell.  The  line  broke 
over  him,  and  then  several  persons  were  seen  gathered 
around  him. 

"What's  happened?"  was  the  question  that  came  from 
many  lips. 

"The  handsome  fellow  who  was  leading  the  charge  is 
hurt,"  was  the  reply  sent  round.  "When  he  fell,  the 
cadet  behind  wounded  him  with  his  bayonet." 

A  hurry  call  was  sent  to  the  hospital,  and  in  a  very 
few  moments  a  stretcher  was  brought,  on  which  Frank 
Merriwell  was  carried  from  the  field. 

Pale-faced  and  panting,  Inza  Burrage  had  witnessed  all 
this. 

"He  is  hurt!"  she  gasped,  dutchmg  May  Blossom's 
arm  till  May  gave  a  little  cry  of  pain.  "I  saw  the  fellovV 
behind  deliberately  strike  at  Frank  with  his  bayonet!" 

"It  must  have  been  an  accident,"  said  May.     "How 


Accident  or  Design?  93 

could  any  one  be  vile  enough  to  thus  injure  him  with 
malicious  intent !" 

"I  don't  know  how  any  one  could  do  it,  but  I  know  that 
fellow  did.  The  distance  was  not  so  great  that  I  could 
not  see  the  look  on  his  face,  and  I  am  certain  he  inten- 
tionally struck  Frank  with  the  bayonet !" 

"It  is  natural  for  you  to  think  so." 

"But  I  know  Frank  has  a  few  dangerous  enemies  in 
the  school.  His  foes  are  resolved  that  he  shall  not  excel 
in  the  games  and  feats  this  afternoon,  and  you  can't  make 
me  believe  this  was  not  a  dreadful  trick  to  get  him  out  of 
the  way  if  you  talk  a  thousand  years." 

"Well,  I  shall  not  try  to  convince  you,  for  I  know  it  is 
folly  to  make  the  attempt  when  you  have  once  made  up 
your  mind." 

Inza  was  restless  and  distressed.  She  did  not  know 
how  severely  Frank  was  wounded,  and  a  horrible  fear 
that  he  might  be  maimed  for  life  or  hurt  so  he  would  die 
kept  wringing  at  her  heart  At  length  she  whispered : 

"Come,  May,  let's  slip  away  while  this  battle  is  going 
on.  We  can  do  so  without  attracting  great  attention." 

"Slip  away?    What  for?    Where?" 

"Oh,  I  feel  ready  to  fly !     I  can't  keep  still !" 

"What  do  you  want  to  do?" 

"Go  somewhere — anywhere!  Perhaps  we  may  find 
out  how  seriously  poor  Frank  is  hurt.  Come." 

She  clasped  her  companion's  hand,  and  May  allowed 
herself  to  be  drawn  away.  They  left  their  seats,  and 
pressed  into  the  crowd  that  held  hard  down  to  the  field. 

Inza  was  a  resolute,  fearless  girl,  and  she  boldly  en- 
tered the  crowd,  telling  May  to  keep  close  behind  her. 

"Please  let  me  pass,  gentlemen,"  she  said,  and  thert 
was  something  in  her  expression  and  air  that  causec* 
strong  men  to  clear  a  path  for  the  girls ;  so  they  passed 


94  Accident  or  Design? 

through  the  thickly  packed  throng  and  finally  reached  the 
open  space  beyond. 

Inza  knew  where  the  hospital  was  located,  and  thither 
she  hurried. 

Of  course,  she  was  unable  to  obtain  admission,  but 
word  was  brought  her  that  Mr.  Merriwell  had  been  but 
slightly  injured. 

In  truth,  Frank  had  not  been  injured  very  severely, 
although  his  escape  was  most  fortunate. 

When  he  fell,  Rupert  Reynolds  had  stumbled,  and  the 
bayonet  on  his  gun  was  driven  straight  toward  Frank's 
legs. 

The  calf  of  Frank's  left  leg  was  grazed  by  the  weapon, 
which  tore  through  his  trousers. 

The  fall  itself  had  stunned  Merriwell,  so  that,  when 
he  tried  to  rise,  he  found  himself  dizzy  and  dazed.  He 
made  a  great  effort  to  get  upon  his  feet,  but  things  were 
whirling  around  him,  and  he  was  forced  to  give  over  the 
attempt. 

However,  he  had  asserted  that  he  could  walk  from  the 
field,  with  assistance. 

It  was  thought,  however,  that  the  effect  would  be  more 
striking,  and  would  illustrate  the  methods  of  the  school 
in  such  cases,  if  he  were  taken  away  on  a  stretcher. 

Thus  it  came  about  that,  although  his  severest  injury 
came  from  the  fall,  the  report  quickly  went  round  that 
Merriwell  had  been  bayoneted  through  the  leg,  and  would 
take  no  further  part  in  the  exercises  of  the  day. 

Reynolds  was  severely  reprimanded  for  carelessness, 
and  seemed  very  sorry  and  contrite. 

In  his  heart  the  malicious  fellow  was  laughing  with 
exultation. 

"I  have  fixed  him!"  he  thought.  "At  the  very  mo- 
ment when  he  fell  I  was  longing  for  something  of  the 
kind  to  occur,  and  so  I  was  ready  to  jab  at  his  legs  the 


Accident  or  Design?  95 

moment  he  went  down.  Rains  will  be  the  champion  this 
afternoon.  Merriwell  will  win  no  honors  to-day  !" 

The  two  stretcher  bearers  had  been  Bart  Hodge  and 
Barney  Mulloy,  both  of  whom  lingered  in  the  hospital 
when  they  saw  Frank  on  a  cot,  with  Dr.  Brown  examin- 
ing his  injury. 

"This  is  a  mere  scratch,"  said  the  doctor,  as  he  in- 
spected the  slight  abrasion  on  Frank's  leg.  "This  will 
amount  to  nothing." 

"It  is  not  that,  doctor,"  said  Frank.  "I  fell  with  such 
force  that  I  was  stunned  and  dazed,  and  I  feel  weak  and 
unsteady  now." 

"You  must  rest.  If  you  remain  quiet  for  two  hours, 
you  should  be  nearly,  if  not  quite,  recovered.  Your  leg 
shall  be  bathed." 

"Arrah,  dochtor,"  broke  in  Barney,  anxiously,  "will  he 
be  able  to  take  a  hand  in  th'  ixorcises  this  afternoon,  Oi 
dunno  ?" 

"He  may." 

"Don't  worry  about  that,"  smiled  Frank.  "I  will  do 
my  share.  I  do  not  propose  to  be  knocked  out  in  this 
manner." 

"It  was  certainly  a  deliberate  attempt  to  knock  you 
out,"  declared  Bart. 

"How?    What  do  you  mean?" 

"I  mean  what  I  say." 

"What  makes  you  think  so?" 

"I  do  not  think — I  know.  Rupert  Reynolds  was  be- 
hind you." 

"Well?" 

"It  came  near  being  anything  but  well  for  you.  He 
saw  you  fall,  and  his  bayonet  tore  through  your  trou- 
sers." 

"Which  must  have  been  an  accident." 

"Which  must  have  been  nothing  of  the  sort.     It  was 


96  Accident  or  Design? 

a  deliberate  and  malicious  attempt  to  maim  you,  and  I 
know  it." 

"Tut !  tut !"  cried  Doctor  Brown,  astonished  and  hor- 
rified. "Be  careful  what  you  say,  young  man !  You  may 
be  called  on  to  prove  your  words." 

"I  don't  care,"  said  Hodge,  doggedly. 

"An5  it's  th'  truth  he  do  be  spakin',  Oi'll  bet  me  hat !" 
cried  the  impulsive  Barney. 

Still  Frank  looked  as  if  he  were  not  convinced. 

"You  fellows  do  not  like  Reynolds.  I  cannot  think 
he  would  do  such  a  thing,  even  though  he  may  be  some- 
what favorable  to  my  rival.  He  might  have  lamed  me 
for  life." 

"What  do  you  suppose  he  cared  for  that,  if  he  could 
make  it  seem  an  accident!" 

"An'  th'  report  is  out  now  that  ye're  badly  hurt, 
Frankie,  me  b'y." 

"In  that  case,"  said  Merriwell,  "it  would  be  something 
of  a  surprise  to  my  enemies  if  I  were  to  turn  up  in  good 
form  this  afternoon." 

"Thot  it  would,  Frankie/' 

Frank  was  silent  a  moment,  as  if  thinking  of  some- 
thing. His  face  lighted  up,  and  he  said : 

"It  will  be  a  jolly  joke  to  spring  on  them.  Boys,  can't 
you  spread  the  impression  that  I  am  knocked  out — can't 
you  do  it  without  actually  lying?" 

"Have  Oi  a  tongue  in  me  head !"  laughed  Barney.  "Oi 
should  soay  we  could  do  thot  soame,  eh,  Hodge  ?" 

"Rather,"  assured  Bart.  "But  the  doctor  must  remain 
silent,  and  no  one  else  be  allowed  to  examine  Frank's 
wound." 

Now,  the  doctor  was  not  such  an  old  man  that  he 
could  not  enter  into  the  spirit  of  such  a  deception,  and 
he  readily  agreed  to  remain  silent  in  regard  to  the  extent 


Accident  or  Design?  97 

of  Frank's  injuries,  and  not  to  allow  any  one  else  to  in- 
vestigate them. 

After  the  mock  battle,  the  spectators  in  large  numbers 
sought  favorable  spots  in  the  vicinity  to  enjoy  picnic 
luncheons,  while  many  returned  to  Fardale  village. 

The  cadets,  somewhat  wearied  by  the  efforts  of  the 
forenoon,  eagerly  discussed  what  had  taken  place. 

And  it  was  not  long  before  the  report  was  generally 
circulated  that  Frank  Merriwell  had  been  hurt  so  severely 
that  he  might  not  be  able  to  leave  the  hospital  for  several 
days. 

Merriwell's  enemies  were  filled  with  unbounded  satis- 
faction. Even  Paul  Rains  felt  his  heart  give  a  great 
throb  of  exultation. 

"That  settles  it!"  he  thought.  "I'll  carry  off  the 
honors  this  afternoon." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THROWING  THE  HAMMER. 

At  one-thirty  o'clock  that  afternoon  the  cadet  band 
struck  up  a  lively  air  from  the  bandstand,  and  the  con- 
testants in  the  afternoon  sports  and  exercises  came  trot- 
ting onto  the  field,  to  be  welcomed  by  a  rousing  cheer 
from  the  spectators,  who  were  once  more  packed  on  three 
sides  of  the  roped-off  arena. 

The  judges  had  been  selected  for  everything,  and  there 
was  to  be  no  needless  delay. 

Most  of  the  contestants  were  dressed  in  tights  and 
wore  sweaters.  They  were  indeed  a  manly  looking  col- 
lection of  youths,  overflowing  with  animal  spirits  and  en- 
thusiasm. 

Immediately  on  entering  the  field,  the  boys  stripped 
from  their  sweaters,  and  set  about  getting  into  condition 
by  running,  jumping,  putting  the  shot,  throwing  the 
hammer,  and  doing  a  hundred  and  one  things  of  the 
sort. 

Inza  Burrage  and  May  Blossom  were  once  more  in 
the  position  which  they  had  occupied  during  the  fore- 
noon. 

In  vain  Inza  looked  about  for  Frank. 

"Where  is  he  ?"  she  murmured,  in  disappointment  and 
alarm.  "They  said  he  was  not  badly  hurt.  He  ought  to 
be  here  somewhere." 

"Perhaps  he  was  hurt  just  bad  enough  to  prevent  him 
from  taking  any  part  this  afternoon." 

"In  that  case  he  is  severely  injured,  for,  under  the  cir- 


Throwing  the  Hammer.  99 

cumstances,  nothing  else  could  keep  him  from  taking 
part." 

"There  is  Mr.  Rains." 

"Bother  Mr.  Rains !" 

"Why,  Inza!  You  expect  me  to  be  sympathetic  to- 
ward Frank  Merriwell,  but  you  are  not  even  respectful 
toward  Paul  Rains." 

"Oh,  I  beg  forgiveness,  May !  but  you  must  know  how 
distressed  I  am.  Why  didn't  they  tell  us  the  truth  at  the 
hospital?  Frank  must  be  badly  hurt,  or  they  would  not 
have  deceived  us.  Don't  you  think  that  is  the  way  of  it?" 

No  answer.  May  was  following  Rains'  movements 
with  her  eyes,  and  she  did  not  hear  the  question. 

May  Blossom  was  not  the  only  one  who  was  watching 
Paul's  every  move.  The  eyes  of  his  friends  were  on  him. 
More  than  that,  the  best  judges  among  the  spectators 
had  singled  him  out,  and  were  commenting  on  his  hand- 
some build  and  graceful  carriage.  He  had  been  selected 
as  a  fellow  worth  watching. 

In  a  very  few  moments  the  first  contest  was  announced, 
and  the  names  of  those  who  had  entered  for  it  given. 

It  was  to  be  a  trial  at  throwing  the  hammer,  and  the 
contestants  were  Paul  Rains,  Hans  Dunnerwust,  Barney 
Mulloy,  Ephraim  Gallup  and  Frank  Merriwell. 

The  last  name  created  a  stir. 

Frank  Merriwell,  where  was  he? 

"I  should  have  thought  they  would  have  withdrawn 
his  name,"  observed  Rupert  Reynolds.  "They  must  have 
known  he  was  in  no  condition  to  take  part." 

"Is  it  a  sure  thing  he  is  not  in  condition  ?"  asked  Hugh 
Bascomb,  who  was  with  Reynolds. 

"Why,  of  course — it  is  dead  sure." 

"Well,  I'll  not  feel  that  it  is  sure  till  he  fails  to  show 
up  on  the  field." 

"He  has  already  failed." 


ioo  Throwing  the  Hammer. 

"Wait.  The  first  contestant  is  Dunnerwust.  I  won- 
der what  he  thinks  he  can  do  throwing  the  hammer  ?" 

The  roly-poly,  jolly-looking  Dutch  boy  advanced,  and 
spat  on  his  hands  before  picking  up  the  big  sixteen-pound 
hammer. 

"I  pet  you  your  life  I  preaks  der  recort,"  he  observed, 
and  his  appearance  caused  the  spectators  to  break  into 
laughter.  "Veil,  you  may  laugh  at  dot  uf  you  don'd  vant 
to,"  he  cried,  "but  maype  you  don'd  laugh  on  der  oder 
side  uf  your  mouts  pime-py.  Ged  avay  oudt!  Sdand 
from  under !" 

He  squared  off,  with  a  look  on  his  face  that  seemed  to 
say  he  was  going  to  throw  the  hammer  clean  across  the 
field. 

Over  and  over  he  swung  the  hammer — once,  twice, 
three  times. 

But  it  did  not  complete  the  third  swing. 

In  some  way  the  hammer  slipped  out  of  his  hands,  and 
went  sailing  through  the  air  in  the  wrong  direction ! 

"Look  oudt !"  squawked  Hans,  as  he  stared  up  into  the 
air  for  the  hammer,  not  knowing  whither  it  had  gone. 
"Uf  dot  comes  down  your  headt  on,  I  vill  ged  hurt !" 

A  great  shout  of  laughter  went  up  from  the  spec- 
tators, for  the  Dutch  lad  presented  a  most  ludicrous 
spectacle. 

"Look  here,  b'jee!"  muttered  Ephraim  Gallup,  who 
had  been  standing  behind  Hans,  but  a  little  to  one  side,, 
which  was  fortunate,  as  the  hammer  would  have  struck 
him  if  he  had  been  directly  in  line;  "if  you've  got  a 
grutch  ag'in  me,  say  so." 

"Oxcuse  me !"  supplicated  the  Dutch  boy.  "Dot  vos  a 
misdake." 

"Wai,  it  come  nigh  bein'  a  serious  one  fer  me,  b'gum !" 

The  hammer  was  returned  to  Hans,  and  he  prepared  to 
make  another  effort- 


Throwing  the  Hammer.  101 

"Shust  eferypody  stant  avay  off,"  was  his  advice. 

This  piece  of  advice  was  accepted.     He  was  left  alone. 

This  time  the  Dutch  boy  rubbed  dirt  on  his  hands,  and 
got  a  firm  grip  on  the  handle  of  the  hammer. 

"Now  you  shust  see  der  oldt  thing  go !"  he  cried. 

He  made  the  swings  successfully,  but  sent  the  hammer 
up  into  the  air  on  a  curve,  so  it  struck  the  ground  not 
very  far  away. 

The  judges  gravely  made  the  measurement,  and  the 
record  went  up  on  a  big  blackboard — twenty-three  feet 
and  seven  inches ! 

"Veil,  I  don'd  pelief  I  vill  lower  der  recort  righd 
avay,"  grinned  the  Dutch  lad.  "Vait  a  vile  till  I  ged  me 
at  someding  else.  I  don'd  care  apout  dot  hammer- 
drowing  peesness." 

Barney  Mulloy  was  next  on  the  list,  and  the  Irish  lad 
came  forward. 

"Oi'll  beat  th'  Dutchman,  av  Oi  don't  do  anything 
else,"  he  observed. 

Barney  was  a  muscular-looking  fellow,  and  he  looked 
as  if  he  were  able  to  do  something  astonishing  with  the 
hammer.  The  spectators  who  had  been  laughing  at  the 
exhibition  made  by  Hans  now  became  silent,  and  watched 
Barney. 

With  the  very  first  swing  he  made,  a  good  judge  in  the 
crowd  remarked : 

"He  is  strong  enough,  but  he  is  too  thick  about  the 
shoulders  to  make  a  big  throw.  At  lifting  he  will  be  all 
right,  but  he  is  slightly  shoulder-bound." 

In  truth,  Barney  could  not  get  the  free,  sweeping 
swing  that  is  necessary  in  order  to  make  a  long  cast  with 
the  hammer.  The  swing  gave  his  body  a  jerky  motion, 
which  broke  the  steady  sweep. 

With  all  his  strength,  he  cast  the  hammer,  and  he  made 


102  Throwing  the  Hammer. 

a  fairly  good  throw,  for  the  distance  was  eighty-three 
feet. 

Ephraim  Gallup  was  next  on  the  list,  and  he  came  for- 
ward with  a  queer  grin  on  his  thin,  homely  face. 

"Gol  darned  if  I  don't  feel  zif  I  could  fling  this  thing 
clean  over  dad's  old  barn !"  he  muttered,  as  he  picked  up 
the  hammer.  "Somebody's  got  to  hustle  if  they  beat  me 
this  day,  an'  don't  ye  fergit  it" 

He  rubbed  his  hands  in  the  dirt,  and  then  secured  a 
firm  grip  on  the  handle  of  the  hammer. 

"Look  avay  oudt  where  you  throw  dot,"  warned  Hans, 
as  Ephraim  cast  a  queer  look  over  his  shoulder  at  the 
Dutchman. 

Then  Hans  quickly  placed  himself  behind  Mulloy, 
which  caused  another  burst  of  laughter. 

Ephraim  had  long  arms,  and  he  swung  the  hammer 
easily  and  gracefully,  making  a  long  and  beautiful  throw 
—a  throw  that  caused  the  spectators  to  clap  their  hands. 

"That's  purty  good,  b'gosh !"  muttered  the  country  lad, 
his  face  flushed. 

Paul  Rains  looked  anxious,  for,  to  his  great  surprise, 
he  saw  that  Gallup  had  made  a  remarkable  throw. 

Was  this  countryman  to  become  a  dangerous  rival, 
now  that  Merriwell  was  out  of  the  way? 

It  looked  like  that. 

Paul  watched  the  board  to  see  the  result  given  by  the 
tape,  and  he  caught  his  breath  when  it  appeared. 

The  boy  from  Vermont  had  made  a  throw  of  one  hun- 
dred and  nineteen  feet  and  nine  inches ! 

"By  Jove!  that  is  wonderful!"  burst  from  the  lips  of 
Bart  Hodge.  "Why,  Hickok,  of  Yale,  made  but  one 
hundred  and  twenty-three  and  nine.  Gallup  is  not  far 
behind  him,  and  he  has  never  had  a  hundredth  part  of 
the  training.  I  doubt  if  that  mark  is  beaten." 

"Oh,  you  doubt   it,   do  you!"   fiercely  thought   Paul 


Throwing  the  Hammer.  103 

Rains.  "You  are  one  of  Merriwell's  particular  friends, 
and  you  don't  want  to  see  me  make  a  showing  here  to- 
day. Well,  I'll  beat  that  throw  if  it  is  in  me  to  do  such 
a  thing." 

He  came  out  of  his  sweater  in  a  twinkling,  and  ad- 
vanced to  receive  the  hammer. 

Then  Rains'  friends  sent  up  a  burst  of  applause,  which 
followed  close  after  the  applause  the  spectators  had  given 
Gallup. 

Determination  was  written  on  Paul's  face.  He  made 
two  short  throws  to  get  the  swing  and  limber  his  shoul- 
ders for  the  supreme  effort,  and  then  he  grasped  the  ham- 
mer firmly,  and  put  himself  in  position  for  the  cast. 

A  hush  settled  over  the  field.  Every  one  seemed  to 
know  that  Rains  was  going  to  make  a  mighty  effort  to 
beat  the  countryman.  The  band  played  a  soft,  lively 
air,  that  was  of  the  right  sort  to  nerve  one  to  his  best. 

Over  and  over  swung  the  hammer,  and  then  it  went 
hurtling  through  the  air,  hurled  with  every  ounce  of 
strength  at  Rains'  command. 

The  moment  the  hammer  struck  the  ground,  it  was 
seen  that  Paul  had  tied  or  beaten  Ephraim. 

Then  there  was  an  expectant  hush  till  the  board  should 
announce  the  result. 

Paul  walked  back  and  got  into  his  sweater,  feeling 
that  he  had  done  his  best,  and  believing  he  had  beaten 
Gallup. 

He  was  right.  In  a  few  moments  the  following  score 
was  chalked  against  his  name: 

"One  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  one  inch." 

Rains  had  beaten  Gallup  by  four  inches;  and  the  ap- 
plause he  received  made  his  heart  leap  with  exultation. 

But  his  exultation  swiftly  turned  to  astonishment  and 
dismay,  for,  in  response  to  his  name,  Frank  strode  out 
from  the  crowd,  and  walked  swiftly  toward  the  scratch. 


IO4  Throwing  the  Hammer. 

Then  the  cadets  sent  up  a  shout  that  told  how  popular 
Merriwell  really  was,  and  the  band  burst  into  a  lively  air 
that  set  hundred  of  hearts  throbbing  tumultuously. 

As  if  actuated  by  a  single  impulse,  the  boys  gave  a 
variation  of  the  academy  yell : 

"Ha!  ha!  ha!  Rah!  rah!  rah!  Merriwell!  Merriwell! 
Rigger-boom !  Zigger-boom !  Zz-zz-zz-zz !" 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

JUMPING. 

The  final  mighty  buzzing  hiss  sounded  like  the  noise 
made  by  a  rocket  in  its  flight. 

Paul  Rains  actually  staggered. 

"Merriwell !" 

He  turned  pale,  and  his  hands  were  clinched  till  the 
fingernails  pressed  into  the  palms. 

To  his  unutterable  amazement,  Frank  did  not  even 
limp  in  the  least.  He  never  looked  better  in  all  his  life 
than  he  did  at  that  moment  when  receiving  the  ovation 
from  his  comrades  and  classmates.  He  bowed  and 
smiled,  his  face  flushed,  and  his  pulse  throbbed  heavily 
and  swiftly. 

Inza  Burrage  could  not  repress  her  unbounded  delight. 
As  the  academy  yell  burst  from  the  throats  of  Frank's 
admirers,  she  sprang  to  her  feet  and  waved  her  handker- 
chief till  pulled  back  to  the  seat  by  May,  who  swiftly 
said  in  her  ear: 

"Don't,  Inza!  You  are  attracting  everybody's  atten- 
tion !" 

"I  don't  care  for  that !"  was  the  excited  reply.  "There 
he  is — see  him  ?  There's  Frank !  And  did  you  hear  the 
fellows  yell  when  he  appeared !  That  tells  what  they 
think  of  Frank  Merriwell  here  at  Fardale  Academy !" 

"Of  course  he  is  popular,"  said  May,  "but  he  will  have 
to  do  something  wonderful  if  he  beats  Paul  at  throwing 
the  hammer." 

"Pshaw !"  returned  the  dark-eyed  girl.  "He  can  beat 
Paul  Rains  without  half  trying !" 


106  Jumping. 

"We'll  see  about  that,"  said  May,  rather  sharply,  feel- 
ing not  a  little  touched. 

"That's  right,  we  will,"  came  from  the  lips  of  the  other 
girl,  as  if  it  were  already  settled. 

Frank  peeled  out  of  his  sweater,  which  he  tossed  to 
Barney,  who  anxiously  hastened  to  his  side,  asking : 

"How  do  yez  fale,  Frankie,  me  b'y  ?" 

"Never  felt  better  in  my  life,"  was  the  quiet  and  con- 
fident reply. 

"Do  yez  think  ye  can  bate  Rains  ?" 

"I  am  going  to  try  it,  but  I  shall  not  be  able  to  beat 
him  a  great  deal,  if  at  all.  That  fellow  has  made  an 
astonishing  throw,  and  he  deserves  congratulations." 

"Desarves  nothing !"  snorted  the  Irish  lad.  "It's  th' 
big  head  he  do  be  afther  gettin'.  Av  ye  don't  bate  him, 
Oi'll  fale  loike  committin'  suicoide,  so  Oi  will !" 

Frank  was  ready  to  do  his  best.  He  picked  up  the 
hammer,  balanced  it  to  suit  his  fancy,  gave  it  two  wide, 
swift  swings,  and  threw  it  before  such  an  act  was  ex- 
pected. 

For  all  that  he  had  seemed  to  do  all  this  so  easily, 
Merriwell  had  put  his  entire  strength  and  skill  into  the 
effort,  and  he  felt  that  he  could  not  better  it  if  he  were  to 
try  twenty  times. 

Once  more  there  was  a  hush,  for  it  was  seen  that  Rains 
and  Merriwell  were  nearly  tied. 

Paul  held  his  breath  while  the  tape  was  being  run,  and 
it  was  with  a  great  effort  that  he  held  back  a  bitter  curse 
as  he  saw  the  figures  which  were  soon  displayed  on  the 
board  in  connection  with  his  rival's  name.  They  were : 

"One  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  three  inches." 

Rains  had  beaten  Gallup  four  inches,  and  Merriwell 
had  beaten  Rains  two.  It  was  not  a  large  margin  in 
either  case,  but  it  was  death  to  Paul's  hope  of  being  the 
winner  in  the  first  contest. 


Jumping.  107 

In  a  moment  a  surge  of  rage  and  hatred  filled  the 
heart  of  the  ambitious  youth.  He  actually  longed  to  fly 
at  Frank's  throat,  but,  with  all  his  self-command,  he  put 
this  desire  aside,  and  actually  smiled. 

Reynolds  came  forward  and  expressed  his  feelings  in 
a  few  words  spoken  for  Paul's  ear  alone,  to  which  Rains 
laughingly  replied: 

"Only  two  inches,  and  I  don't  mind  that,  but,  had  I 
known  he  was  to  follow  me,  I  should  have  put  a  foot 
more  of  muscle  into  my  throw.  I  am  beaten  by  a  trick." 

Now,  this  was  not  true,  and  Paul  knew  it,  but  the 
rancor  in  his  heart  brought  the  words  from  his  lips.  He 
had  thrown  the  hammer  with  every  pound  and  every 
ounce  of  strength  at  his  command,  and  he  could  not  have 
cast  it  farther  if  he  had  known  beyond  a  doubt  that  Frank 
was  to  follow  him. 

Frank  heard  Paul's  words,  but  he  did  not  show  by  a 
look  or  a  sign  that  they  reached  his  ears.  He  also  heard 
Reynolds  say : 

"Well,  you  know  what  to  expect  now,  and  you  can 
surely  beat  him  in  the  next  contest,  which  is  jumping." 

"Well,  there  will  be  more  than  two  inches  difference 
between  us,"  said  Paul,  in  a  tone  and  manner  that  made 
Frank's  blood  leap  hotly  in  his  veins. 

No  one  could  have  imagined  Merriwell  was  aroused 
and  angered  not  a  little  at  that  moment,  for  he  stood 
chatting  and  laughing  with  his  friends,  having  resumed 
his  sweater. 

Frank's  admirers  and  the  crowd  in  general  had  greeted 
the  last  score  with  a  cheer  of  delight,  and  he  was  now 
regarded  as  something  of  a  wonder  by  almost  everybody. 

Inza  Burrage  was  delighted  beyond  measure.  She 
gave  May  a  big  hug,  laughing: 

"What  did  I  tell  you,  dear !     I  knew  he  could  do  it !" 


io8  Jumping. 

"But  he  did  not  beat  Mr.  Rains  very  much — only  two 
inches.  That  is  scarcely  worth  mentioning." 

May's  lip  quivered  a  little,  and,  seeing  this,  Inza  swiftly 
said: 

"Of  course  it  isn't  much,  dear.  They  are  very  nearly 
matched.  It  is  possible  that  Frank  did  not  beat  him  at 
all,  for  the  men  who  took  the  measurements  may  have 
made  a  mistake," 

"It's  good  of  you  to  say  that!"  cried  May.  "I  shall 
not  care  so  much  if  Mr.  Merriwell  does  beat  Paul,  now 
that  I  know  you  feel  so  generous  about  it" 

The  best  of  feeling  was  immediately  restored  between 
the  two  girls,  and  it  was  not  marred  during  the  rest  of 
the  day,  as  Inza  took  care  to  praise  almost  everything 
Paul  did. 

Though  there  were  many  more  trials,  no  better  record 
was  made,  and  the  moment  the  hammer-throwing  contest 
was  over,  preparations  for  the  jumping-match  were  made. 
In  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  minute  after  the  last  score  was 
shown  on  the  board  the  marks  were  swept  away,  and  the 
names  of  the  contestants  in  the  jumping  match  went  up. 
They  were  Harvey  Dare,  Hans  Dunnerwust,  Frank  Mer- 
riwell, and  Paul  Rains. 

It  had  been  decided  to  drop  the  standing  jump, 
which  could  be  of  very  little  interest  for  the  spectators. 
First  came  the  running  broad  jump,  and  Harvey  Dare  ad- 
vanced promptly  to  the  scratch. 

Dare  was  a  slender,  racy  fellow,  and  he  looked  as  if  he 
would  be  able  to  fly  over  a  long  stretch  of  ground. 

The  spectators  held  their  breath  as  he  suddenly  leaned 
forward  and  dashed  toward  the  scratch. 

Dare  made  a  beautiful  leap,  but  good  judges  saw  in  a 
moment  that  there  was  nothing  record-breaking  about  it. 

The  board  soon  announced  it  as  being  nineteen  feet 
eleven  inches. 


Jumping.  109 

This  was  good,  but  the  record  at  Fardale  was  twenty- 
one  feet  and  one  inch,  so  the  applause  was  not  great. 

Hans  Dunnerwust  had  two  of  the  boys  drag  him  out 
of  his  sweater,  and  then,  grinning  till  his  face  looked  like 
a  full  moon,  he  waddled  toward  the  starting  point. 

The  crowd  outside  the  field  set  up  a  shout  of  laughter. 

"Now  you'll  see  all  records  smashed,"  shouted  some 
one.  "The  Dutchman  can  bounce  himself  twenty-five 
feet,  like  a  rubber  ball." 

"He's  got  wings,"  yelled  another  voice.  "I  can  see 
'em  under  his  shoulderblades." 

"Say,  mein  frient,"  called  Hans,  as  he  paused  at  the 
starting  point,  "uf  you  open  your  mout'  so  vide  as  dot, 
you  catch  coldt  mit  your  chillplains  in.*' 

This  was  said  in  a  way  that  caused  the  crowd  to  roar 
again,  and  Hans  was  given  a  round  of  applause. 

He  proceeded  to  gather  himself  together,  spat  on  his 
hands,  rubbed  them  in  the  dirt,  flung  his  cap  aside,  and 
then  started  for  the  scratch. 

"He's  off!"  bellowed  a  loud  voice. 

Hans  stopped  short  with  remarkable  suddenness,  and 
shook  his  fist  in  the  direction  whence  the  words  had 
come. 

"Uf  you  don'd  say  dot  again,  I  pet  me  your  life  you  vill 
ged  hurt !"  he  cried,  angrily.  "I  don'd  vos  off,  und  can't 
you  vorget  id !  peen  sassed  enough  alretty  yet  righd  avay 
soon !  peen  a  vighter,  und  you  vos  in  danger  uf  my  life 
uf  you  sass  me  some  more !" 

Having  thus  delivered  himself,  he  walked  back  to  the 
starting  point  with  dignity  three  inches  thick  all  over  his 
person. 

The  crowd  literally  howled  with  delight,  and  the  band 
played  "Ta-ra-rum." 

Having  recovered  himself,  Hans  started  off  again,  and 
he  ran  for  the  scratch  with  all  his  might,  seeming  de- 


1  io  Jumping. 

termined  to  make  a  leap  that  would  amaze  everybody. 
But  when  the  mark  was  reached,  he  stopped  like  a  stone, 
looked  at  the  place  where  Dare  had  landed,  shook  his 
head,  and  observed: 

"I  don'd  feel  like  shumping  shust  now.  Dot  vos  too 
easy  to  peat." 

Then  he  walked  away  and  began  getting  into  his 
sweater,  as  if  thoroughly  satisfied  with  what  he  had  done. 

Frank  was  next,  and  the  throng  received  him  warmly. 

As  Rains  was  to  follow,  Frank  did  not  know  the  dis- 
tance he  would  have  to  cover  in  order  to  be  the  victor. 

He  was  determined  to  set  Rains  a  stint  that  would  come 
near  "breaking  his  heart"  before  he  had  begun.  Rains' 
insinuation  that  he  had  been  beaten  by  a  trick  in  throwing 
the  hammer  rankled  in  Frank'c  breast. 

Every  eye  was  on  the  athletic  youth,  who  wore  dark- 
blue  trunks,  and  whose  figure  was  seen  to  be  finely 
molded,  closely  knit,  compact,  yet  supple. 

Frank  balanced  himself  for  the  start,  and  then  dashed 
at  the  scratch,  gaining  headway  with  every  stride. 

He  did  not  leap  high  into  the  air,  but  he  seemed  to  sail 
over  the  ground  in  a  most  remarkable  and  amazing 
way,  bringing  a  gasp  of  delighted  surprise  from  those 
who  knew  him  best  and  were  most  confident  in  his  ability. 

It  was  with  no  little  difficulty  that  Rains  repressed  an 
exclamation  of  dismay.  He  saw  Frank  had  done  some- 
thing wonderful,  but  he  was  not  prepared  for  the  record 
that  went  up  on  the  board. 

Merriwell  had  covered  twenty-two  feet,  eleven  and  one- 
fourth  inches ! 

That  was  better  than  Paul  had  been  able  to  do  at  his 
best  in  private  trials,  and  it  was  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
more  than  an  entire  foot  above  any  previous  record 
made  at  Fardale. 


Jumping.  1 1 1 

No  wonder  Frank's  friends  crowded  about  him  and 
shook  his  hand. 

"By  Jove,  old  man !"  cried  Hodge,  in  the  greatest  de- 
light, "you  have  astonished  your  friends  to-day.  None 
of  us  believed  you  able  to  do  anything  like  this.  That 
is  exactly  the  record  made  in  the  inter-collegiate  contests 
'two  years  ago,  and  it  has  not  been  broken  in  any  inter- 
collegiate tournament  since." 

The  excitement  over  the  making  of  a  new  record  at 
Fardale  was  intense. 

Rains'  particular  friends  looked  blue.  Some  began  to 
desert  and  crowd  around  Merriwell,  and  these  were  loud- 
est in  their  congratulations  and  assertions  that  they  had 
known  all  the  time  that  he  would  do  it.  Frank  knew 
every  one  of  them,  and  the  smile  on  his  lips  gave  them  a 
cynical  curl  at  the  corners. 

In  his  heart  Rains  felt  that  he  was  defeated,  but  he  re- 
solved to  do  his  level  best,  hoping  against  hope  that,  by 
some  remarkable  chance,  he  might  out-do  himself  and 
defeat  Merriwell. 

This  hope  was  vain. 

He  fell  nine  inches  behind  Merriwell,  and,  although  he 
had  beaten  the  old  record  at  Fardale,  he  was  thoroughly 
disgusted,  and  not  a  little  disheartened. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

READY   FOR  THE   DASH. 

The  running  high  jump  followed,  and  the  contestants 
came  up  in  the  same  order  as  for  the  broad  jump. 

In  this  each  contestant  was  given  three  trials. 

"It  is  useless  to  buck  against  Merriwell,"  smiled  Har- 
vey Dare.  "He  is  bound  to  carry  off  the  record  in  this 
kind  of  work." 

"Oh,  I  don't  know  about  that,"  said  Frank.  "There  is 
a  vast  difference  between  the  broad  jump  and  the  high 
jump,  and  the  fellow  who  is  good  at  one  may  not  stand 
any  show  at  the  other." 

"That's  all  right,  old  man,  but  it  happens  that  I  have 
seen  you  go  into  the  air,  and  you  have  springs  in  your 
feet." 

But  Harvey  had  pride,  and  he  was  determined  to  do  his 
best,  being  entered  for  the  affair.  He  lost  no  time  in 
display,  but  made  three  leaps  in  astonishingly  swift  suc- 
cession, and  his  showing  of  five  feet  eight  and  one-half 
inches  was  certainly  good. 

Once  more  Hans  Dunnerwust  was  dragged  from  his 
sweater,  and  again  he  aroused  the  merriment  of  the  spec- 
tators by  his  manner  as  he  prepared  to  leap. 

"Put  her  up  shust  two  veet  to  start  mit,"  he  directed. 
"I  don'd  vos  goin'  to  hurt  meinseluf  der  peginnin'  from, 
you  pet !" 

So  the  pole  was  pegged  at  two  feet,  and  he  bore  down 
on  it  like  a  hurricane.  He  hurled  himself  into  the  air 
with  all  his  strength,  succeeded  in  getting  his  feet  over, 


Ready  for  the  Dash.  113 

out  came  down  squarely  across  the  pole,  an^  broke  it  in 
two. 

Hans  struck  the  ground  with  a  thump  that  brought  a 
grunt  from  his  lips.  He  landed  in  a  sitting  posture,  and 
he  did  not  offer  to  arise  till  the  assistants  helped  him  to 
his  feet.  Then  he  walked  gravely  round  the  uprights, 
and  looked  at  the  ground  with  the  solemnity  of  an  old 
owl. 

"Dot  groundt  vos  nod  in  coot  gondition,"  he  declared. 
"It  vos  too  slibbery.  Oxcuse  me  uf  I  don'd  shump  some 
more." 

Then,  amid  the  laughter  and  cries  of  the  crowd,  he 
walked  over  and  began  getting  into  his  sweater. 

A  new  pole  was  supplied,  and  Frank  prepared  to  jump. 
To  start  with,  he  had  it  placed  at  five  feet  six,  which  he 
cleared  with  what  seemed  to  be  scarcely  an  effort. 

Then  he  had  it  raised  to  five  feet  ten,  and  this  was 
cleared.  His  third  and  last  venture  was  at  six  feet  and 
one  inch,  five  feet  and  eleven  being  the  record  at  Far- 
dale. 

Frank  gathered  himself  for  his  best  effort,  and  made 
the  run. 

Just  as  he  reached  the  last  point  of  the  run  he  made  a 
false  step,  and  that  threw  him  out  slightly. 

Up  into  the  air  he  went,  but  he  did  not  clear  the  pole. 
His  heel  touched,  although  it  did  not  dislodge  it,  and  his 
score  was  given  at  five  feet  and  ten. 

Frank's  friends  were  filled  with  dismay  at  his  misfor- 
tune, but  he  simply  smiled. 

"A  fellow  can't  expect  to  have  luck  with  him  all  the 
time,"  he  said,  philosophically. 

Hope  came  into  Paul  Rains'  face,  and  he  was  quickly 
prepared  to  take  his  turn. 

"Rains  will  show  what  he  is  good  for  this  time,"  de- 
clared Rupert  Reynolds.  "If  Merriwell  fancied  he  is  go- 


114  Ready  for  the  Dash. 

ing  to  have  a  walk-over  here  to-day,  he  will  find  himself 
mistaken." 

Paul  first  had  the  pole  placed  at  five  feet  ten,  and  this 
he  cleared  in  dashing  style,  which  brought  a  generous 
round  of  applause. 

Then  Rains  boldly  told  the  judges  to  place  the  pole  at 
six  feet  and  one  inch,  which  was  the  third  and  hardest 
essay  made  by  Merriwell. 

Frank  had  failed,  and  Paul  resolved  to  have  more 
than  one  try  at  it,  if  he  did  not  succeed  the  first  time. 

When  everything  was  ready,  he  gathered  himself  for 
the  mighty  effort,  and  dashed  like  a  crimson  meteor  at 
the  pole. 

It  was  a  beautiful  jump,  and  he  cleared  the  pole  fairly 
and  gracefully. 

This  time  it  was  Rains  who  received  the  applause.  He 
declined  to  make  another  effort,  being  well  satisfied  with 
what  he  had  done. 

As  Merriwell  had  established  a  record  for  Fardale  in 
the  running  broad  jump,  so  had  he  established  one  in 
the  running  high  jump. 

Now  his  friends  were  eager  to  congratulate  him. 
They  crowded  around  him,  and  shook  his  hand. 

When  this  was  over,  Frank  walked  straight  up  to 
Rains,  held  out  his  hand,  and  said : 

"That  was  a  beautiful  jump,  old  man,  and  I  congratu- 
late you  most  heartily." 

There  was  something  so  genuine  and  so  generous  in 
this  that  Paul  instantly  accepted  the  proffered  hand,  re- 
turning : 

"Thank  you,  Merriwell.  That  is  my  highest  notch,  and 
I  think  you  would  have  made  it,  if  you  had  been  for- 
tunate." 

"Possibly  I  might,"  admitted  Frank,  but  he  said  noth- 
ing about  the  false  step  he  had  made. 


Ready  for  the  Dash.  115 

May  Blossom  had  been  more  than  delighted  by  Paul's 
success. 

"There,  there!"  she  cried,  pinching  Inza's  arm,  "that 
shows  you  what  Paul  Rains  can  do!  He  has  beaten 
Frank  Merriwell  fairly  and  squarely !  What  have  you 
to  say  now  ?" 

"Oh,  it  was  an  accident !"  declared  Inza,  in  confusion. 
"He  never  could  have  done  it  otherwise." 

"Now,  I  don't  think  that's  fair,"  protested  May.  "I 
didn't  say  it  was  an  accident  when  Paul  was  beaten." 

"But  it  really  was  an  accident  in  this  case,"  persisted 
the  dark-eyed  girl,  biting  her  lips.  "You  must  have  seen 
it  plainly  enough." 

But  May  would  not  acknowledge  that  she  had  seen 
anything  of  the  sort,  and  it  is  not  at  all  probable  that  she 
did  detect  Frank's  misstep,  which  Inza's  sharp  eyes  had 
noted. 

In  neither  of  the  next  two  contests,  which  were  putting 
the  shot  and  pole-vaulting,  did  Merriwell  and  Rains  take 
part. 

Putting  the  shot  was  somewhat  different  from  throw- 
ing the  hammer,  and  Barney  Mulloy  was  once  more  a 
contestant. 

In  this  case  the  Irish  lad's  remarkable  development  of 
muscles  about  his  chest  and  shoulders  stood  him  in  good 
stead,  and,  although  he  did  not  make  a  record  for  Far- 
dale,  he  defeated  Hugh  Bascomb,  who  made  a  put  of 
thirty-two  feet  and  two  inches. 

Mulloy's  put  was  thirty-two  feet  five  and  a  half. 

Pole-vaulting  was  essayed  by  six  contestants,  among 
whom  were  Reynolds  and  Hodge.  Bart's  sole  desire  was 
to  beat  Reynolds,  but,  in  doing  so,  he  exerted  himself  to 
his  utmost,  and,  to  his  surprise,  came  off  victor  in  the 
contest,  having  covered  ten  feet  and  one  inch,  which 


n6  Ready  for  the  Dash. 

was  three  inches  better  than  Reynolds,  who  was  tied  by 
two  others. 

The  dash  of  one  hundred  yards  was  next  in  order.  For 
this  both  Merriwell  and  Rains  were  entered,  as  well  as 
Reynolds,  Hodge,  and  Dare. 

By  the  time  the  last  contest  was  finished  arrangements 
for  the  dash  were  being  perfected,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  the  contestants  were  directed  to  get  into  line  at 
the  mark. 

In  this  dash  there  would  be  something  far  more  ex- 
citing for  the  spectators  than  in  anything  that  had  come 
before,  and  favorites  were  chosen  when  the  boys  lined  up. 

By  chance  Frank  and  Paul  were  placed  side  by  side, 
and  they  were  the  universal  favorites.  It  was  seen  that 
they  were  much  alike  in  build.  If  anything,  the  lad  who 
wore  the  crimson  trunks  attracted  the  greater  attention, 
and  was  more  generally  selected  for  a  winner. 

Hodge  was  a  rangey  lad,  and  his  dark  face  seemed  full 
of  determination.  Many  times  had  Frank  told  him  that 
he  might  excel  in  athletics  if  he  would  abandon  cigarettes, 
and  Bart  had  finally  given  them  up,  but  the  time  since 
doing  so  had  not  been  sufficient  for  him  to  recover  from 
their  bad  effects  and  get  into  good  trim.  Still,  he  re- 
solved to  see  what  he  could  do  in  both  the  one  hundred- 
yard  dash  and  the  two  hundred  and  twenty-yard  run, 
hardly  expecting  to  do  much  at  either. 

The  spectators  must  have  seen  the  notice  that  betting 
was  strictly  prohibited,  but  such  a  notification  could  not 
prevent  wagers  being  made,  and  considerable  money  was 
posted  on  the  result  of  the  dash. 

Reynolds  had  seemed  anxious  to  get  close  to  Merri- 
well on  the  line,  and  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  posi- 
tion to  suit  himself.  Frank  gave  the  fellow  no  atten- 
tion, although  he  could  not  help  wondering  why  Rupert 


Ready  for  the  Dash.  117 

had  entered,  as  he  stood  scarcely  a  ghost  of  a  show  of 
taking  one  of  the  first  three  positions. 

"Ready !"  rang  out  the  clear  voice  of  the  starter. 

With  both  hands  clinched  and  one  outstretched,  the 
Contestants  leaned  forward  over  the  line. 

"One !"  counted  the  starter. 

The  band  played  softly  and  quickly,  while  the  spec- 
tators held  their  breath. 

"Two!" 

Yet  a  bit  further  did  some  of  the  contestants  lean  over 
the  line,  anxiety  and  determination  written  on  their 
faces. 

"Three " 

Bang! 

The  pistol  in  the  starter's  hand  spoke,  and  away  leaped 
the  line  of  supple,  muscular  figures,  while  the  band  burst 
forth  in  a  wav  that  seemed  to  fairly  lift  them  over  the 
ground. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

DEFEATED  BY  A  TRICK. 

"They're  off !" 

"Hurrah!" 

As  if  with  a  single  impulse,  the  line  of  figures  sprang 
away,  but,  within  the  first  twenty  yards,  Paul  Rains 
forged  to  the  front,  running  like  a  fawn. 

To  the  surprise  of  many,  Rupert  Reynolds  took  second 
place,  while  Frank  Merriwell  was  third,  with  Hodge 
close  behind  him. 

Rains'  friends  were  delighted.  Merriwell  had  a  repu- 
tation as  a  sprinter,  but  it  seemed  that  he  was  out  of 
condition,  and  not  a  few  fancied  he  had  been  injured 
enough  in  the  mock  battle  to  prevent  him  from  doing  his 
best  in  the  dash. 

Reynolds  was  straining  every  nerve  to  keep  his  place, 
but  he  was  watching  from  the  corners  of  his  eyes  for 
Merriwell  to  forge  alongside  at  any  moment.  Knowing 
Merriwell's  ability  as  a  runner,  Rupert  had  not  entered 
the  race  with  the  hope  of  winning.  He  had  quite  an- 
other object  in  view. 

In  his  hand  Rupert  held  concealed  an  object  that  might 
have  much  to  do  with  the  result  of  the  race. 

Dare,  of  whom  something  had  been  expected  by  his 
friends,  proved  a  disappointment  from  the  start.  He 
was  clearly  outclassed,  and  at  no  time  was  he  in  the  race. 

The  excitement  was  great  as  the  lithe-limbed  youths 
sped  over  the  ground. 

Hodge  forged  ahead,  and  reached  the  side  of  Merri- 
well, and  it  was  thought  that  he  would  pass. 


Defeated  by  a  Trick.  119 

Nothing  of  the  kind  happened. 

Fifty  yards  had  been  covered  when  Frank  was  seen  to 
gather  himself  and  literally  fly  over  the  ground,  quickly 
making  a  gap  between  himself  and  Hodge. 

A  gasp  of  relief  came  from  Merriwell's  friends,  for  it 
was  seen  that  he  had  not  put  himself  at  his  very  best  to 
start  with. 

In  a  moment  he  was  at  Rupert  Reynolds'  side.  In  an- 
other moment  he  would  have  passed  and  pressed  hard 
upon  Rains. 

Then Just  what  happened  and  how  it  happened 

nobody  seemed  able  to  tell.  All  at  once,  Merriwell  gave 
a  cry,  clasped  his  hands  to  his  eyes  and  nose,  and  went 
down  in  a  heap,  rolling  over  and  over. 

With  a  flying  leap,  Hodge  cleared  his  fallen  friend, 
and  he  succeeded  in  passing  Reynolds  without  trouble. 

But  Rains  came  in  first,  although  Bart  was  not  more 
than  a  yard  and  a  half  behind  when  Paul  broke  the  tape. 

Reynolds  was  third,  and  Dare  was  seen  bending  over 
Frank  Merriwell,  who  was  sitting  on  the  ground,  with 
his  hands  clasped  over  his  nose  and  eyes. 

Rains'  time  went  up  at  ten  and  one-half  seconds,  which 
was  excellent,  although  many  college  amateurs  have  done 
the  distance  in  ten  seconds. 

"What's  the  matter  with  Merriwell  ?"  was  the  cry  that 
was  heard  on  all  sides. 

"He  fell!" 

"He's  hurt !" 

"Something  has  happened  to  his  eyes !" 

Harvey  Dare  had  asked : 

"What's  the  matter,  old  man?    Are  you  hurt?" 

In  reply,  Frank  gasped: 

"It — it's  my  eyes !" 

"What's  the  matter  with  them?" 


120  Defeated  by  a  Trick. 

"I  don't  know.  Something  struck  them — something 
that  stung  and  took  away  my  sight  and  breath." 

"Don't  you  know  what  it  was?  Why,  I  can  smell- 
hartshorn  !" 

"That's  it!" 

"But  how  in  the  world " 

"That's  what  I  can't  tell.  Of  a  sudden  a  fine  spray 
seemed  to  strike  in  my  eyes,  and  it  knocked  me  down 
as  if  I  had  been  hit  by  a  hammer." 

"There's  foul  play  here !"  said  Dare. 

From  every  side  the  boys  came  running  in,  and  sur- 
rounded Frank,  eagerly  asking  what  had  happened. 

Harvey  Dare  was  on  the  point  of  telling  what  he  knew 
when  Merriwell  silenced  him,  saying  swiftly: 

"Mum's  the  word.     Don't  peach.     Let  me  explain." 

Then  he  told  them  he  had  been  seized  with  dizziness, 
which  had  caused  him  to  fall,  an  explanation  which  was 
satisfactory  to  the  most  of  them. 

There  were  those,  however,  who  saw  Merriwell  had 
not  spoken  the  whole  truth,  and  they  were  curious  to 
know  just  what  had  taken  place.  Among  them  were 
Hodge  and  Mulloy. 

Between  these  two  friends,  Frank  walked  from  the 
spot  where  he  had  fallen. 

"You  were  going  to  the  front  when  you  went  down," 
said  Bart.  "In  two  more  seconds  you  would  have  been 
even  with  Rains." 

"Thot's  roight,"  nodded  Barney.  "Ye  put  on  stame 
just  whin  it  wur  naded.  Pwhat  made  yez  fall,  Oi 
dunno  ?" 

"Do  you  remember  my  fight  with  Bascomb  some  time 
ago?"  asked  Frank. 

"Av  course  we  do." 

"You  know  red  pepper  was  flung  into  my  eyes?" 

"Yi«,  an'  a  dirthy  thrick  it  wur,  begobs !" 


Defeated  by  a  Trick.  121 

"You  do  not  mean  to  say  you  had  pepper  flung  ill 
your  eyes  just  now,  do  you  ?"  asked  Bart,  fiercely. 

"No." 

"Then  what " 

"Wait,  and  keep  still.  If  anybody  asks  you,  say  I  fell 
from  dizziness.  That's  all." 

It  was  enough  to  make  both  lads  curious  and  excited, 
but  Frank  would  say  no  more,  and  he  again  cautioned 
them  to  be  sure  and  answer  questions  as  he  had  directed. 

"It's  me  proivate  opinion,  Frankie,  me  b'y,"  observed 
Barney,  "that  there's  a  job  afoot  to  bate  yez  by  crooked 
manes  t'-day,  av  ye  can't  be  bate  inny  other  way." 

"In  which  case  my  enemies  will  simply  put  me  on  my; 
mettle,  and  I  will  show  them  what  kind  of  stuff  I  am 
made  of,"  said  Frank,  as  he  held  a  handkerchief  to  his 
eyes  to  stanch  and  conceal  the  flow  of  tears  caused  by 
the  hartshorn  spray  which  had  struck  him.  "I  am  in 
the  hurdle  race,  and  dizziness  will  not  stop  me." 

Frank  was  thoroughly  angry,  but  he  was  careful  to 
make  no  assertions  he  could  not  prove.  It  seemed 
strange  to  him  that  Reynolds  had  been  able  to  throw  the 
hartshorn  spray  in  his  eyes  without  being  detected.  If 
a  fellow  was  skillful  enough  to  do  such  a  thing  in  the 
open  light  of  day,  he  felt  sure  it  would  be  no  easy  thing 
to  prove  him  guilty. 

There  was  quite  a  different  set  of  contestants  in  the] 
two  hundred  and  twenty-yard  run,  which  followed  the' 
dash.  Neither  Merriwell  nor  Rains  had  entered  this  con- 
test. 

Supreme  in  his  confidence  in  his  own  abilities,  Rains 
had  selected  to  compete  in  such  contests  as  Merriwell 
chose.  His  confidence  had  received  a  rude  shock  at  first, 
but  he  was  now  recovering  swiftly. 

Frank  wondered  if  Paul  knew  anything  of  the  harts- 


122  Defeated  by  a  Trick. 

horn  trick.  He  would  have  given  much  to  have  been 
satisfied  in  his  own  mind  on  that  point. 

He  did  not  wish  to  think  Rains  guilty  of  knowing  any- 
thing about  such  a  perfidious  piece  of  business,  but 
Rains  had  profited  by  it,  which  made  his  case  look  some- 
what suspicious. 

Paul  sought  Frank  out,  and  found  him  bathing  his  face 
and  eyes  in  a  bucket  of  water  which  somebody  had 
brought. 

"It  was  a  most  unfortunate  accident,  Merriwell,"  said 
Rains,  with  the  least  bit  of  a  condescending  air.  "How 
did  it  happen  ?" 

"Can't  you  tell  me?"  asked  Frank,  significantly. 

Rains  fell  back  a  bit,  knitting  his  brows. 

"Tell  you!"  he  echoed.  "Of  course  not!  I  did  not 
see  you  at  the  time." 

"There  are  plenty  who  did  see  me,  and  yet  nobody 
seems  to  know  just  what  happened." 

"Nobody  but  yourself." 

"Well,"  said  Frank,  slowly,  wiping  his  face  with  a 
towel  and  looking  over  it  at  Paul,  "there  may  be  others." 

"Did  you  stumble?"  asked  Rains,  with  apparent  inno- 
cence. 

"I  felj,  but  I  did  not  stumble.     I  was  knocked  down." 

"What's  that?  You  don't  mean  to  say  you  were 
fouled?" 

"Oh,  yes  I  do !    That  is  exactly  what  I  mean  to  say." 

There  was  a  murmur  of  excited  astonishment  from  the 
crowd  that  had  gathered  around  the  rivals. 

Frank  had  not  meant  to  say  so  much,  but,  having 
stepped  out  upon  such  ground,  he  was  not  the  fellow  to 
retreat. 

Rains'  face  grew  pale,  and  he  scowled  angrily. 

"Then  how  happens  it  that  no  one  saw  the  foul  com- 


Defeated  by  a  Trick.  123 

mitted?"  he  demanded,  sharply.  "The  judges  gave  me 
the  race,  and  I  won  it  fairly  and  squarely." 

"There  may  have  been  a  foul  committed  which  was  not 
seen  by  the  judges." 

"Explain  your  meaning,  sir!" 

"I  am  not  going  to  explain  at  present,  but  this  affair 
shall  be  investigated,  and  I  may  make  charges,  as  well  as 
an  explanation,  later  on.  That's  all." 

Quivering,  pale,  and  angry,  Rains  cried : 

"I  fail  to  understand  how  there  could  have  keen  a  foul 
that  no  one  saw.  It  looks  to  me  as  if  you  took  your  de- 
feat with  bad  grace,  and  were  endeavoring  to  find  some 
way  of  belittling  my  victory.  But  I  will  tell  you  some- 
thing I  have  heard,  and  it  may  not  make  you  feel  any 
better.  I  heard  one  of  the  spectators  declare  that  you 
saw  you  were  beaten,  and  so  you  fell  down  of  your  own 
accord." 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE      HURDLE      RACE. 

If  Paul  Rains  had  not  lost  his  head  with  anger,  he 
would  not  have  given  utterance  to  those  words.  He  re- 
gretted them  the  moment  they  left  his  lips,  but  it  was 
then  too  late  to  recall  them. 

Frank's  face  flushed,  and  then  paled;  but  he  com- 
manded his  passions,  and  he  held  himself  in  check.  When 
he  spoke  his  voice  was  cold  and  calm. 

"I  have  no  doubt  but  you  heard  somebody  say  that, 
Rains,  and,  as  it  is  not  true,  you  should  understand  that 
it  does  not  add  pleasure  or  satisfaction  to  my  feelings. 
I  do  not  claim  that  I  could  have  beaten  you,  but  I  do  claim 
that  I  was  put  out  of  the  race  by " 

Frank  checked  himself,  but  was  about  to  continue, 
when  Rains  burst  forth: 

"The  only  way  to  settle  this  matter  satisfactorily  is  for 
you  and  me  to  run  the  race  over  again,  and  I  challenge 
you  to  do  so  at  the  conclusion  of  the  regular  program." 

"I  accept  the  challenge,"  said  Frank,  quietly. 

This  caused  no  little  stir  and  excitement,  and  the  report, 
that  Rains  and  Merriwell  would  contest  in  a  one  hun-i 
dred-yard  dash  at  the  conclusion  of  the  regular  exercises 
spread  with  great  rapidity. 

Rains  now  had  plenty  of  supporters,  and  it  was  as- 
serted by  them  that  he  would  defeat  Merriwell  by  half-a- 
second  at  least. 

Frank's  friends  smiled,  and  there  were  very  few  of 
them  who  had  lost  a  particle  of  confidence  in  him. 


The  Hurdle  Race.  125 

Merriwell  and  Rains  were  the  two  figures  to  attract  in- 
terest on  the  field.  The  rivalry  between  them  had  be- 
come known  to  the  great  crowd  of  spectators,  and  each 
lad  had  won  admirers  and  would-be  backers. 

If  Merriwell  won  the  dash,  Rains  would  have  fallen 
into  the  background ;  but  the  result  was  quite  enough  to 
make  Paul  prominent  as  a  formidable  rival  of  the  lad 
who  had  been  most  popular  in  the  academy. 

As  for  Rupert  Reynolds,  he  shook  in  his  shoes,  fearing 
Merriwell  would  denounce  him.  He  had  not  stopped  to 
count  the  cost  of  exposure,  and  now  that  his  contempt- 
ible trick  had  resulted  in  Frank's  defeat  he  was  terror- 
stricken. 

Rupert  fancied  that  somebody  must  have  seen  him 
elevate  one  hand  and  throw  the  hartshorn  spray  into 
Merriwell's  eyes  as  Frank  was  passing,  and  proof  of  such 
an  act  would  mean  disgrace  and  dismissal  for  him. 

As  soon  as  possible,  while  the  other  contestants  were 
being  rubbed  down  in  their  tents,  he  slipped  away  and  got 
rid  of  the  tiny  squirt-gun  with  which  he  had  thrown  the 
spray  into  Frank's  eyes.  He  did  not  mean  to  have  it 
found  on  his  person  in  case  Merriwell  should  denounce 
him  and  he  were  searched. 

Being  treacherous  and  tricky,  Rupert  was  a  genuine 
coward.  He  had  little  foresight  in  discerning  the  pos- 
sible result  of  any  mean  action,  but  when  the  act  was  per- 
formed he  was  invariably  filled  with  terror  at  the  thoughts 
of  the  probable  outcome. 

Paul  Rains  did  not  approve  of  any  tricky  schemes  pro- 
posed to  him  by  Reynolds.  In  his  heart,  Paul  held  Ru- 
pert in  genuine  contempt,  but,  being  ambitious  to  defeat 
Merriwell,  and  finding  that  Reynolds  could  purchase 
favors  with  his  money,  he  tolerated  the  fellow. 

Now  it  happened  that  Hugh  Bascomb  had  seen  Rey- 


126  The  Hurdle  Race. 

nolds'  trick,  but,  being  an  enemy  of  Merriwell's,  Bascomb 
was  not  liable  to  tell  what  he  knew. 

However,  the  former  bully  of  the  academy  followed 
Rupert  stealthily,  and  saw  him  get  rid  of  the  tiny  squirt- 
gun. 

When  Rupert  returned  to  the  field,  Bascomb  lost  no 
time  in  securing  the  squirt-gun. 

"Ha,  ha!"  he  laughed,  maliciously.  "This  is  worth 
something  to  me.  Reynolds  has  plenty  of  money,  and 
I'll  milk  him  of  a  few  dollars." 

By  the  time  Rupert  returned  to  the  field,  arrangements 
for  the  two  hundred  and  twenty-yard  run  had  been  com- 
pleted, and  the  four  contestants  were  soon  sent  away  by 
the  starter. 

The  excitement  of  this  race  soon  made  the  crowd  for- 
get the  queer  happening  of  the  one  hundred  yard  dash. 

For  one  hundred  yards  a  cadet  named  Bristol  led,  with 
Dodge  second,  and  Dare  third.  Then  Dare  astounded 
himself  <uid  everybody  else  by  making  a  spurt  and  pass- 
ing both  Hodge  and  Bristol,  holding  the  lead  for  a  sec- 
ond, perhaps. 

Bristol  seemed  to  lose  heart,  and  Hodge  darted  past, 
overtook  Dare,  and  forged  to  the  front,  a  position  which 
he  held  to  the  finish. 

Dare  broke  himself  by  his  spurt,  for  he  fell  back  rap- 
idly after  being  passed  by  Hodge,  and  Bristol  was  soon 
second  again,  a  position  which  he  could  not  hold,  how- 
ever, as  St.  Elmo,  the  fourth  man,  pressed  to  his  side 
and  took  second  place  before  the  finish. 

Hodge's  time  was  twenty-five  seconds. 

Panting  and  triumphant,  Bart  approached  Frank,  who 
gave  him  his  hand. 

"You  never  could  have  done  that  had  you  stuck  to 
cigarettes,  old  man,"  said  Frank. 


The  Hurdle  Race.  127 

"That's  right,"  agreed  Bart.  "My  wind  astonishes 
myself." 

The  four  hundred  and  forty  yard  run  followed,  but 
neither  Merriwell  nor  Rains  took  part  in  it. 

They  were  holding  themselves  in  reserve  for  the  hurdle 
race  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  yards. 

The  winner  of  the  four  hundred  and  forty-yard  run 
was  St.  Elmo,  who  seemed  to  have  gotten  into  condi- 
tion by  the  preceding  race.  He  made  the  distance  in 
fifty-five  and  one-half. 

Then  came  the  hurdle  race. 

The  hurdles  had  been  erected.  Ten  of  them  had  been 
placed  at  varying  distances  of  not  less  than  twelve  nor 
more  than  twenty  feet  apart,  the  first  one  being  fifteen 
yards  from  the  scratch  mark. 

Five  contestants  had  entered  for  this  race.  They  were 
Reynolds,  Dare,  Bristol,  Rains  and  Merriwell. 

By  this  time,  finding  Frank  had  not  denounced  him, 
Rupert  was  beginning  to  breathe  easier. 

As  Frank  came  up  to  the  scratch,  he  gave  Reynolds  a 
look  that  made  the  fellow  quail.  That  look  plainly  said 
there  would  be  serious  trouble  if  any  monkey-business 
was  tried  in  this  race. 

Rains  had  begun  to  believe  that  he  would  be  able  to  de- 
feat Merriwell  in  the  hurdle  race.  He  did  not  expect  a 
"snap,"  but  he  was  willing  to  do  his  level  best  if  he 
could  win  by  a  foot. 

On  the  other  hand,  Frank  was  now  thoroughly  aroused, 
and  he  felt  able  to  set  a  hot  pace  for  anybody  who  might 
try  to  crowd  him. 

The  afternoon  was  well  advanced,  and  the  starter  lost 
no  time  in  "sending"  the  contestants. 

At  the  crack  of  the  pistol,  the  five  lads  darted  like 
tigers  at  the  first  hurdle. 


128  The  Hurdle  Race. 

Rains  took  the  lead  in  two  springs,  and  he  was  first  to 
rise  to  the  hurdle,  clearing  it  with  at  least  a  foot  to  spare. 

"He  jumps  too  high,"  said  Hodge,  who  was  watching 
the  race  with  his  heart  seeming  to  throb  in  his  throat. 
"Merriwell  clears  it  by  scarcely  two  inches.  He  does 
not  expend  so  much  force  as  Rains." 

"But  Rains  has  th'  lade,  worse  luck !"  exclaimed  Barney 
Mulloy. 

"Don'd  you  mindt,"  put  in  Hans  Dunnerwust,  with 
confidence.  "Dot  poy  Vrankie  don'd  peen  peat  alretty 
yet." 

Reynolds  did  not  seem  to  have  any  heart  for  the  race, 
as  he  fell  to  the  rear  at  once,  and  he  was  not  seen  to 
make  any  severe  effort  to  better  his  position  throughout 
the  race. 

Bristol  seemed  in  good  form  for  the  hurdles,  as  he 
secured  second  position,  which  he  held  for  four  hurdles. 

But  his  judgment  was  not  good  in  measuring  the  dis- 
tance between  the  hurdles,  and  he  made  a  miscalculation 
on  the  fifth.  The  break  caused  him  to  jump  poorly,  and 
his  foot  struck  the  bar,  throwing  him  heavily  to  the 
ground. 

The  fall  put  him  out  of  the  race. 

Frank  went  over  the  bar  like  a  leaping  fawn,  and,  to 
the  intense  astonishment  of  everybody,  he  seemed  to  clear 
;the  distance  that  lay  between  him  and  the  next  hurdle 
with  the  speed  of  a  whirlwind.  He  was  scarcely  behind 
Rains  when  the  sixth  bar  was  passed. 

Rains  realized  that  Merriwell  *vas  right  upon  him,  and 
threatening  to  take  the  lead.  He  put  all  his  energy  into 
the  attempt  to  hold  his  position. 

Vain  effort ! 

A  cheer  went  up  as  Merriwell  was  seen  to  pass  Rains 
and  clear  the  seventh  hurdle  slightly  in  advance. 


The  Hurdle  Race.  129 

"Begobs!  Oi  knew  th'  b'y'd  do  it!"  shouted  Barney 
Mulloy,  in  the  greatest  delight. 

"Vot  I  told  you,  ain'd  id!"  roared  Hans,  reaching  up 
to  thump  Barney  in  the  small  of  the  back  with  his 
clinched  fist.  "Don'd  I  know  dot  all  der  time?  Veil,  uf 
I  don'd,  you  vos  a  liar !" 

And  now  everybody  gasped  with  amazement,  for  they 
saw  Merriwell  draw  away  from  Rains  with  such  speed 
that  Rains  seem  to  be  "standing  still,"  as  one  enthusiastic 
friend  of  Frank  remarked.  The  distance  widened  be- 
tween the  two  boys  with  great  rapidity,  so  that  the  hearts 
of  Paul's  friends  were  heavy  with  disappointment. 

"Oh,  confound  the  luck !"  grated  Wat  Snell,  who  had 
been  hoping  against  hope  that  Merriwell  would  be  beaten 
and  lose  his  prestige.  "That  fellow  can't  be  defeated, 
and  it  is  useless  for  anybody  to  try  to  do  it !  I  have  had 
my  fill  of  it." 

Snell  had,  indeed,  found  it  was  not  a  profitable  thing  to 
scheme  and  work  against  Merriwell,  for  his  crooked  tricks 
had  brought  such  disgrace  upon  himself  that  he  was 
shunned  and  scorned  by  the  cadets,  having  scarcely  a 
friend  left  in  the  academy. 

Having  taken  the  lead,  Frank  held  it  to  the  end,  beat- 
ing Rains  by  ten  yards. 

Indeed,  Dare  came  near  passing  Rains,  who  seemed  to 
have  slackened  when  he  saw  there  was  no  hope  of  coming 
in  first. 

The  race  was  over,  Frank  was  the  winner,  and  again 
the  cry  went  up: 

"Ha!  ha!  ha!  Rah!  rah!  rah!  Merriwell!  Merriwell! 
Rigger-boom!  Zigger-boom!  Zz-zz-zz-zz !" 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE      LAST      MATCH. 

Rains  was  not  a  little  disappointed  and  disheartened  by 
the  result  of  the  hurdle  race. 

Reynolds  was  thoroughly  disgusted. 

Now  the  fickle  crowd  was  ready  to  accept  Frank  Mer- 
riwell  as  the  superior  all-round  athlete. 

The  remaining  games  and  contests  lasted  less  than  half- 
an-hour,  at  the  end  of  which  time  it  was  announced  that 
the  exhibitions  of  the  day  would  close  by  a  special  one- 
hundred-yard  dash  between  Merriwell  and  Rains. 

This  announcement  was  received  with  great  applause, 
and  people  who  had  been  departing  turned  back  to  wit- 
ness this  final  event. 

For  all  that  the  lads  had  participated  in  so  many  races 
and  sports,  they  had  been  rubbed  down  thoroughly,  and 
they  came  up  to  the  scratch  smilingly,  feeling  compara- 
tively fresh  and  ready  for  the  last  struggle. 

Rains  had  regained  his  confidence,  for  he  reasoned  that 
though  Merriwell  had  beaten  him  fairly  and  squarely  in 
a  hurdle  race,  he  could  not  repeat  the  trick  in  a  straight 
dash. 

Rains  believed  he  had  lost  in  clearing  the  hurdles,  not 
having  done  the  trick  with  as  much  skill  as  Merriwell. 

In  this  he  was  right.  He  had  jumped  too  high  in  every 
instance,  while  Frank  had  barely  seemed  to  skim  over 
the  hurdles  without  touching  them. 

Paul  found  that  his  circle  of  friends  had  dwindled,  and 
those  who  remained  were  not  over-enthusiastic  or  con- 
fident. 


The  Last  Match.  131 

"All  this  will  change  in  a  moment  when  I  defeat  Merri- 
well  in  the  dash,"  he  told  himself.  "It  is  this  final  race 
which  decides  who  is  the  best  man.  We  stand  tied  at 
the  present  time." 

This  was  quite  true.  Frank  had  thought  of  that,  and 
he  felt  that  the  time  had  come  when  he  must  not  be  de- 
feated. A  sort  of  cool  determination  had  taken  posses- 
sion of  him,  and  he  had  made  up  his  mind  that  Rains 
should  not  come  off  victor. 

There  was  a  great  hush  of  expectancy  when  the  two 
lads  lined  up.  Then  the  starter's  voice  was  heard  direct- 
ing them  to  make  ready. 

A  moment  later  the  pistol  spoke,  and  away  leaped  the 
young  gladiators. 

Side  by  side  they  started,  and  that  position  was  held  for 
thirty  yards,  neither  seeming  to  gain  or  lose  an  inch. 

Then  Rains  fell  back  a  foot  or  two;  but,  before  the 
half-way  point  was  reached,  he  forged  back  to  Frank's 
side,  and  so,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  they  sped  down  toward 
the  tape. 

A  hoarse  murmur  of  applause  greeted  Rains'  display 
of  pluck  as  he  recovered  the  position  he  had  lost. 

Frank  was  doing  his  level  best,  and  still  Rains  clung 
like  a  leech  to  his  side.  Try  as  he  might,  Frank  could 
not  shake  Paul  off  in  the  next  forty  yards. 

The  excitement  was  great,  for  there  had  been  no  such 
spirited  and  plucky  race  for  the  day.  Neither  lad  seemed 
to  have  an  inch  of  advantage,  and  it  began  to  look  as  if 
they  would  finish  in  that  manner. 

Still  that  look  of  unyielding  resolution  and  determina- 
tion was  on  Frank  Merri well's  face. 

On  the  other  hand,  Paul  Rains'  face  wore  a  look  of 
pain,  and  it  was  plain  that  he  could  not  hold  out  much 
longer.  Pride  and  pluck  had  caused  him  to  exert  his 


132  The  Last  Match. 

energies  as  never  before  in  all  his  life  had  he  exerted 
them. 

Had  he  been  able  to  leap  to  the  front  at  a  bound  and  de- 
feat Merriwell  in  the  last  foot  of  the  race,  he  would  have 
made  that  leap  even  though  he  knew  it  would  cause  his 
death. 

It  is  lads  with  such  pluck  as  this  who  make  records  in 
the  race  of  life. 

But  Paul  was  unable  to  make  that  final  needed  leap. 

On  the  other  hand,  Frank  had  a  last  bit  of  unspent 
energy  in  store,  and  he  flung  himself  to  the  front  so  that 
he  struck  the  tape  two  feet  in  advance  of  his  rival,  doing 
the  distance  in  the  remarkable  time  of  ten  seconds. 

Paul  stumbled  across  the  line,  and,  his  entire  strength 
leaving  him  in  a  second,  fell  headlong  to  the  ground. 

Frank  ran  on  a  little  distance,  slackened,  reeled,  and 
fell  into  the  arms  of  Bart  Hodge,  a  smile  on  his  face  as 
he  panted : 

"That  was  a  dandy !" 

Things  reeled  around  him,  and  he  seemed  to  hear 
hoarse  cheering  that  was  miles  and  miles  away.  In  the 
midst  of  the  cheering  he  heard  the  familiar  academy  yell, 
and  heard  the  voices  of  his  companions  roaring  his  name 
to  the  skies. 

"Oh,  Frank,  Frank,  you  did  not  let  him  beat  you!  I 
knew  you  wouldn't — I  knew  it !" 

The  words  sounded  in  his  very  ears,  and  yet  he  heard 
them  faintly.  He  recognized  Hodge's  voice,  and  through 
a  rose-colored  mist  he  seemed  to  see  the  face  of  his  faith- 
ful friend  and  comrade. 

"No,"  he  replied  in  a  whisper,  "he  didn't  beat  me,  but 
— he  came  mighty  near  it !" 

"Water  here— bring  water!"  shouted  Hodge.  "Be 
quick  about  it,  too!" 


The  Last  Match.  133 

Water  was  brought.  Some  was  placed  on  Frank's 
temples  and  wrists,  and  a  dipperful  was  held  to  his  lips. 

He  drank,  and  seemed  to  recover  with  surprising  swift- 
ness, soon  standing  erect,  and  pushing  aside  those  who 
would  have  supported  him. 

"Where's  Rains  ?"  he  asked,  looking  around. 

"He  fell  just  as  he  crossed  the  line,"  was  the  answer. 
"The  crowd  there  are  gathered  around  him." 

In  a  moment  Frank  strode  into  the  crowd,  thrusting 
cadets  to  the  right  and  left,  and  quickly  reached  Paul's 
side. 

Paul  was  sitting  up,  supported  by  Harvey  Dare.  He 
did  not  seem  to  comprehend  what  had  taken  place,  and 
Frank  heard  him  ask: 

"Where  am  I  ?    How  did  I  come  here?" 

"You  are  at  the  end  of  the  hundred-yard  line,  old  man," 
said  Frank,  "and  your  feet  brought  you  here  with  such 
speed  that  I  had  to  hurry  or  be  left." 

Paul  gazed  at  Frank  a  moment,  and  then  he  slowly 
said : 

"You  beat  me." 

"Well,  I'll  never  go  round  bragging  about  it,"  was  the 
instant  reply.  "I  believe  I  did  strike  the  tape  first,  but 
you  weren't  a  mile  behind.  Rains,  you  can  run  like  an 
express  train !" 

Paul  looked  sad  and  dejected,  his  breast  heaving. 
Frank  held  out  his  hand. 

"Shake,  old  man — shake!  You  should  not  take  this 
kind  of  a  defeat  to  heart,  for  it  can  scarcely  be  called  a 
defeat.  We  are  as  nearly  matched  for  one  hundred  yards 
as  two  fellows  can  be." 

Paul  hesitated  a  moment,  but  he  could  not  refuse  that 
hand,  and  he  said : 

"You  are  generous,  Merriwell ;  but  you  rate  me  too 
high.  This  race  satisfies  me  on  one  point — I  am  no 


134  The  Last  Match. 

match  for  you.  I  could  not  make  such  time  again  if  I 
were  to  try  a  year.  Merriwell,  you  are  a  wonder !" 

Frank's  generosity,  his  honest,  manly  nature,  had  con- 
quered Rains  completely.  They  shook  hands  warmly, 
and  at  that  moment  each  felt  that  he  was  ready  to  fight 
for  the  other. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  sore-heads,  the  cadets  all 
seemed  delighted  by  the  outcome  of  the  race,  and  the 
good-will  shown  between  Merriwell  and  Rains. 

Rupert  Reynolds  drew  away  by  himself,  his  heart  full 
of  bitterness. 

"I  hate  a  softy  who  will  knuckle  down  when  he  is 
beaten !"  he  thought.  "Rains  makes  me  sick !" 

The  delighted  cadets  seized  Frank,  and  lifted  him  to 
their  shoulders  to  bear  him  from  the  field. 

"Rains,  too,"  he  demanded.  "Put  me  down,  or  take 
Rains  up." 

So  Paul  Rains  was  caught  up,  and  the  rivals — rivals 
no  longer — were  carried  in  triumph  from  the  field  of 
honor,  where  that  day  they  had  displayed  their  courage 
and  manhood. 

The  crowd  cheered,  the  band  played  "The  Conquering 
Hero  Comes,"  and  the  excitement  of  the  day  was  over. 

A  few  moments  later  the  road  to  Fardale  was  black 
with  people  hurrying  from  the  grounds. 

There  were  no  awards.  The  boys  had  simply 
struggled  to  break  old  records  and  make  new  ones  for 
Fardale  Academy.  Merriwell  and  Rains  were  the  only 
ones  who  succeeded  in  this. 

In  celebration  of  the  event,  it  was  decided  to  have  a 
display  of  fireworks,  burn  tar  barrels,  and  fire  a  salute 
that  evening. 

Permission  for  this  jollification  was  easily  and  readily 
secured,  and  then  the  boys  "chipped  in"  to  make  up  a 
purse  for  the  necessarv  outlay.  Hodge,  who  happened 


The  Last  Match.  135 

to  be  flush,  was  generous.  He  felt  more  than  delighted 
over  the  result  of  the  day,  and  he  dropped  twenty  dollars 
into  the  purse. 

Rupert  Reynolds  could  not  be  found,  and  so  he  escaped 
contributing  anything. 

Tar  barrels  were  purchased  in  Fardale,  and  a  supply 
of  fireworks  was  ordered  from  the  nearest  city,  to  be 
shipped  so  they  would  arrive  in  Fardale  on  the  train  that 
passed  through  at  eight-thirty.  This  order  was  sent  by 
telephone,  and  the  dealer  in  fireworks  replied  that  he 
would  do  his  best  to  fill  the  order. 

The  entire  town  of  Fardale  was  cordially  invited  to  the 
celebration,  and  the  stock  of  fireworks  left  over  on  the 
hands  of  a  local  dealer  from  the  Fourth  of  July  was  se- 
cured, so  they  would  have  something  in  case  the  large 
order  did  not  arrive. 

The  people  of  the  village  turned  out  well  that  evening, 
the  thundering  boom  of  a  cannon  telling  them  that  the 
jollification  was  about  to  begin. 

This  celebration  was  in  every  way  a  success.  The  fire- 
works arrived  at  eight-thirty,  and  were  immediately 
brought  post  haste  to  the  academy. 

Tar  barrels  blazed,  the  cannon  boomed,  trumpets 
blared,  and  then  Frank  Merriwell  was  called  on  for  a 
speech. 

Laughing  and  blushing,  Frank  was  lifted  to  the  top  of, 
a  box,  and  a  cheer  went  up.  This  was  repeated  three,' 
times,  and  gave  him  time  to  recover  his  composure  suffi- 
ciently to  say  a  few  appropriate  words,  which  were 
warmly  received. 

As  he  finished,  somebody  cried : 

"Tell  us  what  happened  in  the  first  hundred-yard  dash, 
Merriwell — explain  why  you  fell." 

"That's  it — that's  it !"  was  the  general  cry  that  went  up. 
;<Tell  us !  We  want  to  know !" 


136  The  Last  Match. 

"Well,"  said  Frank,  "I  can  tell  you  in  a  very  few 
words." 

At  that  moment  he  caught  sight  of  Rupert  Reynolds' 
face,  which  bore  a  look  of  absolute  terror,  and  was  turned 
toward  him  in  a  mute  appeal. 

That  was  enough ;  that  appeal  sealed  Frank's  lips. 

"I  can  tell  you  in  a  very  few  words,"  he  repeated,  "but 
it  would  do  you  no  good  to  know,  and  it  would  harm 
somebody  else  if  I  told.  For  those  reasons,  I  shall  re- 
main silent." 

That  was  all ;  he  could  not  be  persuaded  to  tell. 

"I  am  glad  you  decline  to  tell,"  thought  Hugh  Bas- 
comb.  "I  happen  to  know,  and  I  propose  to  work  my 
knowledge  for  all  it  is  worth.  Reynolds  shall  pay  for 
the  fun  he  has  had,  and  as  long  as  he  pays  well,  I  will 
keep  his  secret." 

Rupert  was  not  to  escape  punishment  for  his  dastardly 
act. 

As  soon  as  possible,  Frank  escaped  from  his  comrades 
and  friends,  and  found  Inza,  who,  in  company  with  May 
Blossom  and  Paul  Rains,  was  waiting  for  him. 

"I  am  so  glad  you  have  come !"  she  said.  "You  won't 
have  to  go  away  again,  will  you?" 

"What,  never?"  he  whispered,  as  he  sat  down  by  her 
side  and  covertly  secured  her  hand. 

"I  didn't  say  that,"  she  protested. 

"But  you  meant  it,  didn't  you  ?" 

She  stammered. 

"Why— I — I Oh,  see  that  rocket !  Isn't  it  beau- 
tiful?" 

The  display  of  fireworks  had  begun,  and  she  did  not 
answer  Frank's  question. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

AN     EVENTFUL     NIGHT. 

A  few  days  later  there  was  trouble  brewing  at  Fardale 
Military  Academy. 

Hugh  Bascomb  was  under  arrest,  and  confined  in  the 
guard  tent,  charged  with  brutally  assaulting  and  beating 
Rupert  Reynolds,  without  cause  or  provocation. 

Reynolds  had  not  been  seriously  injured,  but  he  de- 
clined to  tell  how  the  affair  came  about.  It  was  found 
to  be  quite  useless  to  question  him. 

Nor  did  Bascomb  seem  inclined  to  talk  much.  When 
closely  questioned,  he  simply  answered: 

"I  will  tell  a  few  things  at  the  regular  investigation." 

These  words  were  repeated  to  Reynolds,  and  they 
seemed  to  make  him  look  decidedly  anxious  and  uneasy. 

Reynolds  became  restless.  He  moved  about  through 
the  encampment  when  at  liberty  to  do  so,  and  was  seen 
talking  earnestly  in  low  tones  to  several  of  his  particular 
friends. 

Bart  Hodge  noted  these  movements,  and,  happening  to 
come  upon  Frank,  he  said : 

"There's  something  in  the  wind,  old  man." 

"What  is  it — air?"  asked  Frank,  with  a  twinkle  in 
his  merry  eyes,  and  a  faint  smile  on  his  face. 

"I'm  not  chaffing." 

"No  ?    Then  what's  up  ?" 

"I  don't  know  just  what  it  is,  but  Reynolds  is  in  it." 

"He  seems  to  be  in  everything  latel'*." 


138  An  Eventful  Night. 

"He's  up  to  some  kind  of  a  game.  You  know  he  ic- 
fused  to  tell  why  Bascomb  thumped  him  ?" 

"Yes." 

"Well,  he  is  collaring  all  his  friends  and  talking  them 
into  the  earache.  That  means  something." 

Frank  nodded. 

"You're  right;  Reynolds  always  calls  on  his  friends 
when  he  gets  into  a  scrape." 

"But  he  doesn't  seem  to  be  in  any  scrape.  Bascomb  is 
the  one  who " 

"Remember  that  Bascomb  promised  to  tell  a  few  things 
at  the  regular  investigation." 

"Well?" 

"It's  my  opinion  Reynolds  had  a  great  deal  rather 
Bascomb  would  not  tell." 

"What  has  that  to  do  with  the  way  he  is  running  round 
and  chinning  his  friends?" 

"Possibly  a  good  deal.  He  may  be  trying  to  scratch 
up  evidence  to  refute  any  charge  Bascomb  makes." 

"Or  he  may  be  up  to  something  else." 

•'What?" 

"That  I  don't  know,  but  I've  got  an  idea  that  Rey- 
nolds is  desperate,  and  ready  for  anything.  I'd  give 
something  to  find  out  what  kind  of  a  scheme  he  is  trying 
to  work." 

"Keep  cool,  and  we  will  find  out  later  on." 

"I  suppose  that's  all  we  can  do." 

It  was  true  that  Reynolds  worked  very  hard  among  his 
friends,  or  those  who  pretended  to  be  his  friends.  Rupert 
had  money  to  spend  freely,  and  he  had  gathered  abo^ 
himself  a  number  of  boy  sycophants,  who  were  ready  to 
show  extreme  friendliness  as  long  as  the  money  lasted. 
There  was  no  heart  or  sincerity  in  this  kind  of  friend- 
ship, but  it  seemed  the  only  kind  of  regard  that  Reynolds 
was  able  to  win. 


An  Eventful  Night.  139 

Rupert  had  not  ceased  to  dislike  Frank  thoroughly, 
although  Frank  had  spared  him  when  exposure  would 
have  meant  disgrace  and  dismissal. 

Bascomb  liked  Frank  no  better  than  did  Rupert,  and 
these  two  lads  had  seemed  to  be  the  very  best  friends  up 
to  the  time  that  Reynolds  received  the  beating  at  Bas- 
comb's  hands. 

Bascomb  had  allowed  a  burst  of  temper  to  get  the  best 
of  him,  and  he  had  shown  very  poor  judgment  in  attack- 
ing Rupert  within  the  confines  of  the  cadet  encampment, 
where  he  had  been  quickly  dragged  from  his  victim  and 
placed  under  arrest. 

Hodge's  words  caused  Frank  to  note  Rupert's  move- 
ments, and  he  saw  that  the  fellow  was  really  up  to  some- 
thing. He  had  more  or  less  difficulty  in  bringing  his 
friends  to  his  way  of  thinking,  but  he  appeared  to  suc- 
ceed in  almost  every  case. 

At  supper  there  were  rumors  of  a  great  lark  to  come, 
but  what  it  meant  only  a  select  few  of  the  cadets  seemed 
to  know. 

They  were  to  find  out  that  night. 

Bascomb  slept  in  the  guard  tent,  with  armed  sentries 
on  the  four  sides. 

Thirty  minutes  before  the  time  to  relieve  the  guard 
arrived,  the  sentries  were  assailed  by  overwhelming  num- 
bers. 

As  the  night  was  very  dark,  the  assailants  had  been 
able  to  creep  close  in  upon  the  sentries  without  being 
challenged,  and  had  attacked  them  at  a  signal  agreed 
upon. 

It  is  possible  some  of  the  sentries  were  in  the  plot,  for 
the  resistance,  with  a  single  exception,  seemed  feeble. 

One  fellow  fought  savagely,  discharging  his  gun,  and 
shouting  for  the  officer  of  the  guard. 

But  while  he  was  fighting  the  assaulting  party  accom- 


140  An  Eventful  Night. 

plished  their  purpose,  and  he  was  finally  knocked  down, 
and  left  dazed  and  stunned,  while  the  assailants  disap- 
peared as  swiftly  as  they  had  appeared. 

It  was  all  over  when  Lieutenant  Gordan  and  the  officer 
of  the  guard  arrived  on  the  scene. 

A  hurried  investigation  showed  that  Bascomb  was 
gone.  Either  he  had  been  set  at  liberty,  or  carried  away  I 

"Turn  out  the  entire  camp !"  raged  Lieutenant  Gordan. 
"This  is  outrageous !  Somebody  shall  suffer  for  this 
piece  of  work !" 

In  another  moment,  bugles  sounded,  and  the  muffled 
roar  of  drums  was  heard. 

The  long  roll  was  given,  and,  in  obedience  to  this  sig- 
nal, the  cadets  came  hurrying  from  their  tents,  to  fall  in, 
in  class  companies,  on  the  parade  ground. 

The  roll  was  called,  and  it  was  found  that  ten  cadets 
failed  to  answer  to  their  names.  Reynolds,  Bascomb, 
Snell,  and  Harris  were  among  the  missing. 

Lieutenant  Gordan,  who  was  thoroughly  aroused  and 
angry,  gave  orders  for  the  arrest  of  every  one  of  the  ten. 

But  not  one  of  the  missing  returned  to  their  tents  that 
night,  and  in  the  morning  they  were  still  absent  from 
camp. 

Once,  years  before,  there  had  been  a  revolt  among  the 
cadets  at  Fardale  Academy,  and  it  began  to  look  as  if 
something  of  the  kind  had  occurred  again. 

Now  it  was  plain  enough  to  both  Merriwell  and  Hodge 
what  Reynolds  had  been  doing  the  previous  afternoon 
and  evening. 

The  attack  on  the  guard  tent  and  release  of  the  pris- 
oner had  been  planned  by  Rupert,  who  was  the  leader  of 
the  movement. 

Every  one  of  his  comrades  in  the  attack  were  fellows 
who  did  not  bear  the  best  of  reputations  and  whose  rec- 


An  Eventful  Night.  141 

ords  since  entering  the  academy  had  not  been  of  the  best 
order. 

Some  of  them  were  cadets  who  had  barely  escaped  dis- 
missal on  various  occasions,  and  who  seemed  to  court 
such  a  fate  in  this  case.  Two  or  three  were  weak- 
minded  fellows,  who  were  easily  influenced  by  Reynolds. 

Lieutenant  Gordan  declared  that  not  one  of  the  ten 
should  escape  just  and  proper  punishment. 

Without  delay,  he  instructed  Frank  to  form  a  picked 
company  of  twenty  cadets,  and  go  in  pursuit  of  the 
rebels. 

"Take  twenty  men  you  can  depend  on,  Mr.  Merriwell," 
he  said,  "and  do  not  return  to  camp  until  you  hare 
effected  the  capture  of  the  deserters." 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

SAILOR   JACK. 

Frank  was  well  pleased  to  think  he  had  been  selected 
to  take  charge  of  the  force  that  was  going  in  pursuit  of 
the  rebels,  and  he  was  still  more  pleased  when  Lieutenant 
Gordan  directed  him  to  select  his  company  for  the  expe- 
dition. 

It  did  not  take  him  long  to  decide  on  the  twenty  cadets 
he  preferred.  Among  them  were  Bart  Hodge,  Barney 
Mulloy,  Hans  Dunnerwust,  Ephraim  Gallup  and  Fred 
Davis. 

As  the  first  movement,  Hodge  and  Mulloy  were  sent 
out  as  scouts  to  discover  whither  the  deserters  had  gone. 

Mulloy  was  gone  less  than  two  hours,  when  he  re- 
turned and  reported  that  the  rebels  seemed  to  have  fled 
in  the  direction  of  Blue  Lake,  a  large  sheet  of  water  about 
five  miles  away. 

Frank  waited  a  while  for  Hodge,  but  Bart  did  not 
show  up,  and  further  delay  was  not  thought  advisable, 
so  the  company  marched  away,  escorted  to  the  limits  of 
the  academy  grounds  by  the  cadet  drum  corps  and  two 
of  the  regular  companies.  The  drum  corps  played  a 
lively  march,  and  the  cadets  were  permitted  to  give  a 
farewell  cheer,  as  Frank  marched  his  picked  command 
away. 

Frank  had  requested  Lieutenant  Gordan  to  send 
Hodge  on  after  them,  if  he  showed  up  at  camp. 

Frank  chose  the  shortest  route  to  Blue  Lake. 

On  the  northern  shore  of  this  sheet  of  water  lay  a  large 


Sailor  Jack.  143 

strip  of  forest,  known  as  Ten-Mile  Woods.  From  Bar- 
ney's report,  Frank  was  led  to  believe  the  deserters  had 
fled  to  the  shelter  of  this  wild  section. 

Frequent  inquiries  along  the  road  failed  to  give  any 
satisfaction  till  near  noon,  when  they  came  to  a  farm- 
house within  half-a-mile  of  the  lake. 

The  farmer  informed  them  that  a  party  of  ten  cadets, 
who  said  they  were  on  a  vacation,  had  taken  breakfast 
there.  He  had  thought  it  strange  that  boys  on  a  vaca- 
tion should  be  carrying  muskets,  and  nine  of  them  were 
thus  armed. 

One  of  them  had  paid  for  what  they  had  eaten,  and 
then  they  purchased  potatoes,  flour,  pork,  beans,  salt, 
pepper,  coffee,  and  other  provisions  of  him,  together  with 
a  kettle,  fryingpan,  coffeepot,  and  so  forth. 

When  he  heard  this,  Frank  looked  serious,  for  it  was 
evident  that  the  deserters  were  determined  on  a  genuine 
rebellion,  having  no  thought  of  returning  to  the  academy 
for  some  time. 

Although  the  farmer  had  been  pretty  well  cleaned  out 
of  food  and  provisions,  his  wife  agreed  to  get  up  some 
kind  of  a  dinner  for  the  boys,  if  they  would  wait  for  her 
to  cook  it. 

This  Frank  decided  to  do,  and,  while  they  were  wait- 
ing for  dinner,  he  held  a  council  with  all  of  his  com- 
pany, at  which  he  informed  them  that  Hodge  was  second 
in  command,  and  would  have  full  control  whenever  he 
was  absent. 

The  boys  were  inclined  to  consider  the  whole  affair  a 
great  lark,  but,  while  he  was  enjoying  it,  Frank  began  to 
see  that  they  had  serious  work  before  them. 

Knowing  their  punishment  would  be  severe  in  any 
case,  and  believing  it  would  be  no  more  severe  if  they 
took  a  vacation  and  refused  to  return  to  the  academy  until 


144  Sailor  Jack. 

compelled  to  do  so,  the  rebels  plainly  meant  to  stay  away 
as  long  as  possible. 

Frank  wondered  what  could  have  become  of  Bart,  as 
he  had  expected  to  meet  him  somewhere  on  the  march. 

It  was  some  time  past  noon  when  the  farmer's  wife  an- 
nounced that  dinner  was  ready  for  the  first  ten. 

The  meal  consisted  mainly  of  boiled  potatoes,  butter 
gravy,  stripped  codfish,  and  cornmeal  bread. 

This  fare  was  certainly  of  the  plainest  sort,  but  the 
boys  took  hold  heartily,  and  they  seemed  to  enjoy  it 
immensely. 

The  meal  over,  they  took  up  the  march  again,  soon 
reaching  the  lake  and  the  edge  of  the  Ten-Mile  Woods. 

Within  sight  of  the  lake  lived  a  strange  old  fellow, 
who  was  a  sort  of  recluse.  He  had  once  been  a  sailor 
and  it  was  hinted  by  those  who  claimed  to  know  that 
his  record  on  the  high  seas  would  not  bear  close  investi- 
gation. No  one  had  the  boldness  to  assert  that  he  had 
once  been  a  smuggler  and  pirate,  but  it  was  said  that 
he  knew  a  great  deal  about  people  who  had  followed 
such  unlawful  callings. 

He  had  given  his  name  as  Jack  Duff,  and  he  was 
known  in  the  vicinity  as  "Old  Jack,"  or  "Sailor  Jack." 

He  was  a  fierce,  grizzled  old  fellow,  whose  language 
was  plentifully  sprinkled  with  strange  sailor  oaths,  and 
who  always  wore  a  belt,  which  supported  a  sheath  that 
contained  a  long-bladed,  murderous-looking  knife. 

Some  time  in  his  career,  Sailor  Jack  had  lost  his  left 
leg  near  the  knee,  and  he  wore  a  wooden  "peg"  in  place 
of  the  missing  member.  His  right  eye  was  smaller  than 
the  left,  and,  when  he  was  angry,  seemed  to  glow  like  a 
coal. 

It  was  said  that  Jack  had  been  rather  free  with  his 
money  when  he  first  settled  near  Blue  Lake,  but  the  fact 
that  his  money  was  always  in  gold,  and  often  in  strange 


Sailor  Jack.  145 

pieces  of  foreign  countries,  excited  the  curiosity  of  the 
people  in  that  vicinity,  some  of  whom  ventured  to  ask  him 
where  he  got  it. 

The  old  salt  had  resented  their  inquisitiveness,  and  he 
flatly  told  them  it  was  none  of  their  business.  After  that 
he  seemed  to  draw  into  his  shell,  like  a  turtle,  and  he, 
grew  to  resent  any  attempt  at  friendliness,  so  that  people 
came  to  fear  and  avoid  him. 

Regularly  once  a  week  he  visited  the  groggery  in  Far- 
dale,  and  purchased  a  supply  of  rum,  for  which  he  con- 
tinued to  pay  in  gold,  and  all  the  pieces  being  dated  far 
back,  it  seemed  to  indicate  they  had  been  hoarded. 

The  story  got  around  that  Old  Jack  was  the  possessor 
of  large  treasure,  which  he  had  secreted  somewhere 
about  the  wretched  old  house  in  which  he  lived. 

The  old  sailor  knew  this  story  was  in  circulation,  and 
he  seemed  to  fear  that  he  would  be  robbed.  He  regarded 
everybody  with  suspicion,  and  he  became  more  and  more 
cross  and  ugly  as  years  advanced.  More  than  once  it 
had  been  declared  that  he  would  murder  somebody  in 
time,  if  he  continued  to  grow  suspicious  and  fierce. 

This  strange  old  fellow  seemed  to  avoid  as  far  as  pos- 
sible the  sea  coast,  but  he  was  not  able  to  give  up  his 
sailor  habits,  and  so,  with  great  labor  and  pains,  he  built 
himself  a  small  two-masted  schooner,  which  he  launched 
on  Blue  Lake. 

Strangely  enough,  he  named  this  schooner  Captain 
Kidd,  which  caused  the  country  people  to  regard  him 
with  still  greater  suspicion. 

He  had  arranged  running  lines,  so  that  he  could  sit 
with  his  feet  in  the  cock-pit  and  his  hand  on  the  tiller, 
and  trim  the  sails  without  leaving  the  helm. 

Whenever  a  wild  storm  came  up,  Jack  would  repair 
aboard  the  schooner,  get  up  anchor  and  sails,  and  go 
cruising  around  over  the  lake  in  a  way  that  told  how 


146  Sailor  Jack. 

much  he  enjoyed  such  tempestuous  sport.  How  he  suc- 
ceeded in  handling  the  schooner  all  alone  was  more  than 
could  be  told,  but  he  did  so,  and  he  did  not  mind  that 
the  country  people  prophesied  he  would  be  drowned  some 
day.  Some  of  them  would  have  been  not  a  little  relieved 
if  this  had  actually  happened,  but  Jack  refused  to  be 
drowned,  although  the  sails  were  blown  out  of  the  Cap- 
tain Kidd  once  or  twice. 

There  were  lads  in  the  academy,  who  sometimes  visited 
Old  Carter's  groggery  in  Fardale  village,  and  there  they 
heard  a  great  deal  about  Sailor  Jack,  so  his  history  since 
his  appearance  in  the  neighborhood  became  well  known 
among  the  cadets. 

The  moment  Frank  came  in  sight  of  Old  Jack's  house, 
he  recognized  the  place  from  descriptions  he  had  received 
of  it. 

The  boys  marched  briskly  down  the  old  road,  little 
looking  for  what  was  to  take  place. 

As  they  approached  the  house,  Old  Jack  came  round 
the  corner  and  saw  them.  He  paused  and  glared  at 
them  in  amazement,  and  then  he  went  stumping  into  the 
house  as  fast  as  his  wooden  peg  would  carry  him. 

In  a  moment  he  reappeared,  and  the  boys  were  not  a 
little  surprised  to  see  that  he  grasped  a  long-barreled, 
old-fashioned  gun. 

•  "Lay  to,  there,  ye  lubbers!"  roared  the  man,  bringing 
'the  breech  of  the  gun  to  his  shoulder  and  pointing  it  at 
the  lads — "lay  to,  or,  shiver  my  timbers,  if  I  don't  give 
ye  a  broadside !" 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

HODGE      IN       TROUBLE. 

"Shimminy  Gristmas!"  gurgled  Hans  Dunnerwust,  in 
great  alarm.  "Uf  he  don'd  peen  bointing  dot  gun 
sdraight  ad  me!" 

"G'wan,  ye  Dutch  chaze !"  cried  Barney  Mulloy.  "Ye 
can't  see  straight,  ye  spalpane!  It's  mesilf  th'  ould 
odamahon  is  pointing  th'  gun  at." 

"Wai,  I  be  gol  dinged  if  ye  ain't  both  blind  ez  moles !" 
palpitated  Ephraim  Gallup,  trying  to  dodge  behind  some- 
body else.  "He's  got  that  thunderin'  ole  cannon  p'inted 
at  me !" 

"Halt!"  commanded  Frank,  promptly. 

The  company  having  come  to  a  -halt,  he  addressed 
Sailor  Jack : 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  this,  sir?"  came  sternly  from 
his  lips.  "You  are  liable  to  get  yourself  into  serious 
trouble." 

"Avast  there !"  rumbled  the  old  tar,  his  right  eye  filled 
with  a  red  fire.  "I  mean  business,  keelhaul  me  if  I  don't. 
I  want  pay  for  my  dog  and  my  windows,  and  I'll  have  it, 
or  I'll  give  ye  the  contents  of  this  gun,  and  you  may  lay 
to  that,  my  beauties !" 

"What  have  we  to  do  with  your  dog  and  your  win- 
dows ?  You  are  crazy,  man !" 

"If  you  didn't  break  my  windows  and  shoot  my  dog,  it 
was  a  lot  of  lubbers  dressed  like  you,  and  you're  all  from 
the  academy,  so  you  will  pay  the  damages." 

Frank  instantly  understood  that  Reynolds  and  his 
gang  had  been  pestering  the  old  tar. 


148  Hodge  in  Trouble. 

"It  must  have  been  the  party  we  were  sent  out  to  cap- 
ture," he  said.  "How  did  they  happen  to  smash  your 
windows  and  shoot  your  dog?" 

"How  did  they  happen  to !"  roared  the  sailor,  fiercely. 
"They  done  it  when  I  refused  to  let  them  have  Cap'n 
Kidd  to  go  sailing  on  the  lake.  Then  they  took  to 
stoning  the  house  and  breaking  out  the  windows.  When 
I  cast  Gibbs  adrift  and  sicked  him  at  'em,  they  shot  him 
full  of  lead,  shiver  my  timbers  if  they  didn't!" 

"Well,  we  have  nothing  to  do  with  that.  Those  fel- 
lows revolted,  and  we  were  sent  out  after  them." 

"What's  that  ?    They're  mutineers  ?" 

"Yes." 

"You're  sure  there're  none  of  'em  with  you  ?" 

"Dead  sure." 

The  old  man  seemed  to  hesitate  a  minute,  and  then,  as 
he  thought  of  the  death  of  his  dog,  he  grew  furious  again. 

"You're  all  from  the  same  vessel !"  he  snarled.  "If  I 
don't  collect  of  you,  I  won't  get  anything  at  all,  so  you're 
going  to  pay  for  my  windows  and  my  dog  before  you 
hoist  anchor  and  get  under  way  again,  and  you  may  lay 
to  that,  my  hearties !" 

"But  we  refuse  to  pay  for  the  damage  done  by  those 
deserters.  At  the  same  time,  if  you  will  call  at  the 
academy,  and  present  your  claim  to  Professor  Gunn,  I 
have  no  doubt  but  he  will  see  that  you  are  remunerated 
for  your  loss." 

"That  don't  go  with  me,  mate.  I  believe  in  collecting 
when  I  have  the  chance,  so  fork  over  twenty  dollars  be- 
fore I  give  you  a  broadside  that  will  blow  you  clean  out 
of  the  water." 

"Will  you  listen  to  reason,  or " 

"Hand  over  the  cash,  you  lubber,  and  be  lively  about 
it !  I  am  a  bad  man  to  fool  with,  and  I  may  take  a  no- 
tion to  shoot  first  and  collect  afterward." 


riodge  in  Trouble.  149 

Frank  turned  to  his  company. 

"Prepare  to  load !" 

His  order  rang  out  sharp  and  clear,  and  it  was  obeyed 
with  mechanical  accuracy. 

"Load!" 

Nineteen  blank  cartridges  were  snapped  into  nineteen 
guns. 

Sailor  Jack  did  not  know  the  cartridges  were  blank, 
and  he  looked  somewhat  astonished  and  uneasy. 

"What  do  you  mean,  you  scoundrel?"  he  shouted. 

"We  are  simply  preparing  for  the  emergency,"  replied 
Frank,  coolly,  not  a  smile  changing  the  expression  of  his 
face,  although  he  felt  like  laughing  outright  at  the  sud- 
den change  which  had  come  over  the  sailor.  "In  case 
you  fire  into  us,  we  are  going  to  do  a  little  shooting,  too. 
You  will  have  a  lively  time  dodging  nineteen  bullets." 

"Shiver  my  timbers!"  gurgled  Jack,  hesitatingly. 
"You  wouldn't  dare  to  fire !" 

"You  will  find  you  are  greatly  mistaken  if  you  shoot 
into  us." 

"And  you  won't  pay  for  my  windows?" 

"Not  a  window." 

"Nor  my  dog  ?" 

"Nary  dog." 

"And  blow  me  if  I  don't  believe  you'd  like  an  excuse  to 
shoot  me !"  gasped  the  fierce  old  tar.  who  had  been  quite 
set  back  by  the  stand  Merriwell  had  taken.  "Of  all  the 
murderous  young  cutthroats  I  ever  saw,  you're  the 
worst !  But  I'll  fool  ye,  keelhaul  me  if  I  don't !  I  won't 
give  ye  any  excuse  for  shooting,  but  I'll  get  even  with  ye 
some  way,  and  you  may  lay  to  that,  my  hearties !" 

Having  thus  delivered  himself,  Old  Jack  turned 
squarely  about  and  pegged  away,  trying  to  appear  as 
dignified  as  possible. 

"That's  the  way  to  suppress  a  fierce  and  bloodthirsty 


150  Hodge  in  Trouble. 

pirate !"  laughed  Frank.  "He  may  take  a  fancy  to  shoot 
at  us  from  some  place  of  shelter,  so  we  will  move  along. 
Shoulder  arms ;  forward,  march !" 

Away  they  went  down  the  old  road,  more  than  half- 
expecting  the  man  with  the  gun  would  shoot  after  them ; 
but  he  did  nothing  of  the  kind,  and  they  passed  without 
,  further  trouble. 

At  the  edge  of  the  woods  Frank  halted  his  men. 

"We  have  had  no  trouble  in  tracing  the  deserters  thus 
far,"  he  said.  "It  is  likely  they  are  somewhere  in  the 
shelter  of  this  strip  of  forest,  and  we  must  find  out  just 
where  they  are.  They  are  liable  to  be  somewhere  near 
the  shore  of  the  lake.  Still,  they  may  have  entered  by  this 
road.  This  road,  as  you  can  see,  is  seldom  traveled.  It 
was  once  the  only  road  between  Edgefield  and  Fardale, 
but  there  is  now  a  shorter  and  more  direct  route,  which 
causes  the  road  through  Ten-Mile  Woods  to  be  avoided. 
If  ten  men  have  marched  into  the  forest  by  this  road,  they 
must  have  left  marks  on  the  ground,  and  some  of  us 
will  be  able  to  find  those  marks." 

He  then  selected  two  lads  besides  himself,  and  they 
went  forward  to  examine  the  road  in  search  for  the  trail 
left  by  the  deserters. 

It  was  not  long  before  they  found  all  the  trail  they  de- 
sired, making  it  plain  the  fellows  they  were  pursuing  had 
entered  the  woods  by  that  road. 

While  thus  engaged,  Frank  fancied  he  heard  a  faint, 
far-away  shout.  They  all  listened,  and,  after  a  time,  it 
was  repeated. 

"They  are  not  far  away,"  observed  one  of  the  boys. 
"I  fancy  that  was  one  of  them  shouting." 

"It  sounded  like  a  cry  of  distress,"  said  Frank. 

"Perhaps  one  of  them  has  strayed  away  from  the 
others  and  is  lost." 

"Possibly." 


Hodge  in  Trouble.  151 

Having  found  that  the  deserters  had  entered  the  forest 
by  way  of  the  road,  Frank  lost  little  time  in  marching 
forward. 

The  company  had  not  proceeded  far  before  an  old 
wood  road  was  seen  leading  off  to  the  right  toward  the 
lake. 

Another  investigation  showed  that  Reynolds  and  his 
friends  had  left  the  main  road  and  taken  to  the  wood 
road. 

And  now  the  cries  could  be  plainly  heard  at  intervals, 
and,  more  than  at  first,  they  sounded  like  cries  of  dis- 
tress. 

Down  the  wood  road  hurried  Frank,  at  the  head  of  the 
party. 

There  was  a  strangely  familiar  sound  to  those  cries. 

Some  of  the  boys  were  for  answering,  but  Frank 
would  not  allow  this,  as  it  might  warn  the  enemy  of  their 
proximity. 

In  a  very  short  time  they  were  near  to  the  person  who 
was  uttering  the  cries,  and,  despite  the  fact  that  this  in- 
dividual's voice  was  hoarse  from  much  shouting,  Frank 
believed  he  recognized  it. 

"Forward!"  he  commanded.     "It  is  Hodge!" 

"That's  pwhat  Oi  thought  mesilf,"  said  Barney  Mul- 
loy,  excitedly.  "Th*  b'y's  in  some  kind  av  a  schrape." 

They  were  now  guided  by  the  shouts,  but  did  not  find 
it  necessary  to  abandon  the  old  wood  road. 

In  a  very  short  time  they  came  in  sight  of  a  lad  who 
was  standing  with  his  back  to  a  tree,  and,  as  they  came 
nearer,  they  made  a  surprising  discovery. 

It  was  Bart  Hodge,  sure  enough,  and  he  was  bound  to 
the  tree ! 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE  HERMIT. 

Hodge  gave  a  cry  of  relief  when  his  eyes  rested  on  his 
approaching  comrades. 

"Help !"  he  called,  and,  now  that  rescue  was  at  hand, 
his  voice  sank  to  a  whisper. 

Frank  dashed  forward. 

"Bart,  what  does  this  mean?    Who  did  this?" 

"Set  me  free,  old  man.  I  am  nearly  dead  from  being 
tied  up  here  so  long." 

Frank  quickly  produced  a  pocketknife,  and  cut  the 
cords  which  held  the  unfortunate  fellow  to  the  tree.  On 
being  thus  released,  Bart  collapsed,  and  fell  in  a  heap  at 
the  foot  of  the  tree,  while  the  excited  and  wondering 
boys  gathered  around  him. 

It  was  some  moments  before  Hodge  seemed  in  condi- 
tion to  talk,  and  then,  sitting  up  and  placing  his  back 
against  the  tree,  he  said : 

"It  seems  to  me  as  if  I  had  been  tied  up  here  for  a 
week.  I  didn't  mind  it  at  first,  but  it  became  the  most 
painful  torture  after  a  while.  I'd  begun  to  think  I'd 
never  succeed  in  making  anybody  hear  me.  Oh,  won't  I 
get  square  for  this !" 

"How  did  it  happen?"  asked  Frank.  "Who  tied  you 
to  the  tree  ?" 

"The  rebels." 

"Reynolds  and  his  gang?" 

"Yes." 

"But  how  did  they  happen  to  have  the  opportunity  to 
tie  you  up  in  such  a  manner?" 


The  Hermit.  153 

"I  ran  into  an  ambush." 

"They  found  you  were  after  them,  and  set  a  trap  for 
you?" 

"Just  that." 

"The  scoundrels !  I  didn't  think  they  would  dare  do 
such  a  thing." 

"I  didn't  know  I  was  anywhere  near  them  till  they  sud- 
denly sprang  up  all  around  me,"  Hodge  explained.  "I 
saw  I  was  in  a  trap,  but  I  did  not  propose  to  give  up 
tamely,  and  so  I  tried  to  break  away.  I  got  a  good  crack 
at  Bascomb,  and  I  knocked  him  flat  the  first  pop.  But  it 
wasn't  any  use,  for  they  just  jumped  on  me  and  crushed 
me  down.  I  had  to  give  up." 

The  boys  were  listening  with  breathless  interest,  and 
Frank  urged  Bart  to  go  on. 

"I  didn't  suppose  they  would  dare  punish  me ;  but  they 
held  a  sort  of  trial,  and  convicted  me  of  being  a  spy.  I 
was  sentenced  to  be  hanged.  They  had  a  big  bundle, 
tied  up  with  a  rope.  Part  of  the  rope  was  taken  off  the 
bundle,  and  my  hands  were  tied,  for  all  that  I  fought. 
Then  they  made  a  noose,  which  they  put  around  my  neck, 
and  pretended  they  really  meant  to  hang  me.  But  they 
could  not  scare  me  in  that  way;  so  Bascomb,  whose  left 
eye  I  buttoned  up  when  I  hit  him,  proposed  that  I  be 
stripped  to  the  waist,  tied  to  the  tree,  and  whipped  with 
withes.  He  was  bound  to  make  me  beg.  They  fell  to 
quarreling  over  this,  for  Reynolds  was  against  it.  It 
divided  them  into  two  parties,  but  Reynolds  had  five  sup- 
porters, and  Bascomb  had  three,  so  the  big  bully  was 
forced  to  give  in.  Then  it  was  decided  that  I  should  be 
tied  up  here,  and  left  till  somebody  released  me.  They 
tied  me  up,  and  I  have  been  here  ever  since." 

"When  were  you  tied  to  the  tree  ?" 

"Some  time  this  forenoon." 


154  The  Hermit. 

"And  you  have  been  there  ever  since !  No  wonder  you 
were  pretty  well  exhausted." 

"It  was  terrible/'  declared  Bart.  "I  wouldn't  go 
through  it  again  for  a  hundred  dollars." 

"Dot  vos  righd,"  nodded  Hans,  who  had  been  listening 
with  his  mouth  wide  open.  "I  vos  ruter  haf  a  huntret 
tollars  than  do  dot  meinself." 

"I  told  Bascomb  I  would  be  even  with  him,"  said  Bart, 
"and  I  am  going  to  keep  my  word." 

"I  should  think  they  would  fear  punishment  when  they 
return  to  the  academy." 

"They  don't  mean  to  return  till  they  are  obliged  to  do 
so.  Besides  that,  you  know  Bascomb  hates  me  for  an 
old  score.  He  says  I  went  back  on  him,  and  he  wanted 
to  tie  me  up  and  flog  me  to  get  even.  He  would  have 
done  it  if  it  hadn't  been  for  Reynolds;  but  Rupert  was 
scared,  and  so  I  escaped." 

"Which  way  did  they  go  when  they  left  you  ?" 

"Toward  the  lake." 

"Then  we'll  follow." 

"I  am  not  going  to  follow  far  till  I  have  something  to 
eat.  I  am  nearly  starved." 

"I  don't  wonder.     Davis." 

"Yes,  sir,"  promptly  replied  Fred  Davis,  stepping  for- 
ward and  saluting. 

"Conduct  Mr.  Hodge  to  the  farmhouse  where  we  took 
dinner.  Tell  the  people  there  that  it  is  barely  possible 
we  may  call  for  supper." 

"All  right,  sir." 

In  a  few  moments  Bart  and  Fred  ware  on  their  way 
back  to  the  farmhouse,  while  Frank  led  his  company  to- 
ward the  lake. 

Deep  in  the  heart  of  the  woods  they  came  upon  an  old 
hut,  from  the  chimney  of  which  smoke  was  issuing. 

"I  wonder  who  lives  there?"  speculated  Frank. 


The  Hermit.  155 

"Mebbe  them  rebels  are  in  there,"  suggested  Ephraim 
Gallup,  nervously. 

"It  is  possible.  We  will  surround  the  house.  Let  no 
one  escape.  Forward!" 

They  dashed  forward  at  a  run,  and  quickly  surrounded 
the  old  hut. 

The  front  door  was  partly  open,  and  a  small,  cur-like 
dog  stood  in  the  opening,  snarling  and  showing  his  teeth. 

"Get  out !"  shouted  Frank,  making  a  kick  at  the  dog. 

The  creature  plunged  into  the  hut  and  disappeared. 

Merriwell  hesitated  but  a  moment,  and  then  he  pushed 
open  the  door  and  walked  in,  followed  closely  by  Barney, 
Ephraim,  and  Hans. 

The  hut  seemed  to  consist  of  but  one  room,  at  the 
further  end  of  which  was  an  open  fire,  on  which  some 
green  wood  was  smoldering  and  sending  up  a  thick 
smoke.  On  the  floor,  or,  rather,  on  the  ground,  in  one 
corner  was  a  wretched  bed.  There  was  a  table,  one 
chair,  some  blackened  tin  dishes  hung  around  the  walls, 
and  that  was  about  all. 

Apparently  the  place  was  deserted. 

"Shimminy  Gristmas !"  gurgled  Hans.  "Vot  kindt  uf 
a  blace  dis  pee,  ain'd  id?" 

"Don't  seem  to  be  nobody  to  hum,"  muttered  Ephraim 
Gallup,  in  a  scared  whisper.  "Guess  we'd  better  be 
goin'." 

"It  must  be  the  hut  of  Black  Tom,  the  hermit,  of  whom 
such  queer  stories  are  told,"  said  Frank. 

"Thin,  begobs,  it's  mesilf  thot  fales  loike  movin',"  said 
Barney.  "Oi'd  rayther  make  a  call  on  Sailor  Jack,  so  Oi 
had." 

"Yaw,  dot  vos  so,"  gurgled  Hans.  "Dot  Plack  Dom 
he  peen  shut  up  a  brison  in,  und  he  got  avay  oudt  py 
killing  der  guard,  ain'd  id?" 

"That  is  the  story  they  tell  of  him,"  affirmed  Frank. 


156  The  Hermit. 

"If  all  they  tell  about  the  old  fellow  is  true,  he  would 
make  a  good  mate  for  Sailor  Jack." 

"They  lie !  they  lie !  they  lie !"  quavered  a  feeble  voice. 

With  exclamations  of  surprise,  the  boys  turned  to  see 
between  them  and  the  door  the  bent  form  of  an  old  man, 
who  was  leaning  on  a  crooked  cane,  and  at  whose  heels 
the  wretched  dog  was  crouching.  The  old  man's  hair 
and  beard  were  white,  and  his  hands  trembled  from  old 
age.  He  presented  a  most  pitiful  spectacle  of  ruin,  want, 
and  wretchedness. 

In  strong  contrast  to  his  white  hair  and  beard  was  his 
dark  skin,  which  was  wrinkled  and  flabby.  His  eyes, 
however,  seemed  to  have  retained  the  fire  and  brilliancy 
of  youth,  and  they  were  very  keen  and  piercing. 

The  old  man  was  dressed  in  ragged  clothes,  and  the 
boots  on  his  feet  were  held  together  by  strings.  He  wore 
no  hat. 

It  was  not  surprising  the  boys  were  startled,  for  they 
had  not  seen  the  man  when  they  entered,  and  he  seemed 
to  have  materialized  out  of  the  air. 

Several  lads  were  looking  in  at  the  door  of  the  hut,  and 
they  afterward  declared  they  were  unable  to  tell  whence 
the  old  man  had  come.  It  seemed  as  if  he  had  risen 
from  out  of  the  ground  which  composed  the  floor  of  the 
hut. 

Frank  Merriwell's  nerves  were  not  easily  shaken,  and 
he  saw  nothing  to  fear  about  the  aged  and  feeble-appear- 
ing old  man. 

"We  beg  your  pardon  for  intruding,  sir,"  he  said,  with 
the  respect  and  politeness  due  an  aged  person. 

The  man  looked  at  him  keenly,  searchingly. 

"You  are  the  first  one  to  beg  Black  Tom's  pardon  in 
years,"  he  faltered,  as  if  thoroughly  astonished. 

"Well,  sir,  I  am  quite  aware  we  have  no  right  here, 
and  it  is  proper  that  we  all  beg  your  pardon." 


The  Hermit.  157 

"Right!"  exclaimed  the  old  hermit,  bitterly.  "Who 
considers  the  right  of  the  weak  and  friendless !" 

"I  do,  for  one." 

"Then  you  are  an  exception — you  are  a  wonder.  It 
is  the  way  of  the  world  to  trample  on  the  weak  and  help- 
less— to  crush  them.  The  world  does  not  give  a  man 
any  rights  unless  he  is  strong  enough  to  defend  them. 
Boy,  what  is  your  name?" 

"Frank  Merriwell." 

"A  good  name,  and  that  is  a  good  face  you  have.  T  am 
something  of  a  character-reader,  although  I  may  be  old 
and  wretched.  I  see  fine  things  in  that  face — brave 
things,  manly  things,  noble  things !  You  are  sincere  in 
all  you  do,  and  you  have  great  moral  stamina  and 
strength  of  character.  In  the  battle  of  life,  you  are 
pretty  sure  to  come  forth  a  winner." 

"Thank  you." 

"You  have  nothing  to  thank  me  for,  Frank  Merriwell, 
as  I  am  simply  telling  you  the  truth,  as  revealed  by  your 
face.  Frank  is  a  good  name,  for  it  suggests  openness, 
honesty,  heartiness.  Merriwell  seems  to  suggest  a  jovial 
nature  and  a  strong  spirit.  I  believe  I  never  before  knew 
of  a  person  whose  name  fitted  him  so  well." 

"By  gum!"  Ephraim  Gallup  was  heard  to  whisper-, 
"the  old  feller  ain't  no  fool,  arter  all!" 

As  for  Frank,  he  was  not  a  little  taken  back  by  the 
words  of  the  strange  man  of  the  woods,  but  he  said : 

"All  I  can  ask  is  that  you  have  read  my  character 
aright." 

"I  am  sure  of  that,"  declared  Black  Tom.  "Never  in 
my  life  have  I  made  a  mistake  in  such  matters.  If  I  had 
seen  by  your  face  that  you  were  a  sneak  and  a  scoundrel, 
I  should  have  told  you  so  just  as  readily.  It  is  my  frank- 
ness in  such  things  that  drove  me  to  be  what  I  am — an 
outcast  and  a  hermit.  Men  who  did  evil  things  shunned 


158  The  Hermit. 

me  and  turned  other  men  against  me.  They  seemed  to 
think  that  I  could  read  the  black  secrets  of  their  hearts 
because  they  carried  the  truth  written  on  their  faces. 
Now  they  point  me  out  with  scorn,  and  say  I  am  a 
criminal — that  I  am  hiding  from  the  grasp  of  the  law." 

The  hermit's  voice  rose  to  a  shrill  cry,  and  he  shook  his 
cane  angrily  in  the  air,  causing  the  boys  to  fall  back.  In 
doing  this  Hans  tripped,  and  sat  down  heavily  on  the 
ground,  which  brought  a  grunt  from  his  lips. 

"Atch!  Dot  came  near  mein  prains  to  knock  oudt!" 
he  exclaimed. 

Frank  saw  the  hermit  was  getting  excited,  and,  not 
knowing  what  the  man  might  do,  he  fancied  it  would  be 
best  to  move  on  as  soon  as  possible.  First,  however,  he 
would  ask  the  old  man  if  he  had  seen  anything  of  the 
rebels,  and  he  did  so. 

Immediately,  Black  Tom  showed  signs  of  mingled  an- 
ger and  alarm. 

"Yes,  I  saw  such  a  party,"  he  acknowledged,  although 
he  seemed  to  do  so  reluctantly. 

"How  long  ago  ?" 

"Some  hours." 

"They  passed  this  hut  ?" 

"They  stopped  here  a  while." 

"For  what  purpose?" 

"To  have  sport  with  me !"  cried  the  old  man,  bitterly. 
'"'They  thought  it  great  fun  to  beat  my  dog  and  threaten 
to  serve  me  the  same." 

These  words  seemed  wrung  from  his  lips  against  his 
will,  as  Frank  observed.  This  aspect  of  fear  aroused 
Merri well's  curiosity.  He  desired  to  know  just  what  it 
meant. 

"So  they  threatened  you?"  he  asked. 

"Yes,"  whispered  the  hermit  his  eyes  moving  restlessly 
about. 


The  Hermit.  159 

"But  they  did  you  no  personal  injury?" 

"No." 

"And  they  all  departed  together  ?" 

Black  Tom  was  silent. 

"Tell  me  the  truth,  man!"  cried  Frank.  "Are  they 
gone  ?  Are  you  not  hiding  them  near  at  hand  ?" 

"They  are  gone." 

"All  of  them?" 

Again  the  hermit  was  silent,  but  Frank  saw  his  eyes 
turn  a  flitting  glance  toward  the  peak  of  the  hut,  where 
some  crossed  poles  and  a  thin  layer  of  bark  and  brush 
made  a  small  loft. 

That  was  quite  enough  for  Frank. 

"Boys,"  he  cried,  "a  spy  has  remained  behind  to  listen 
to  our  conversation !" 

"Where  is  he?     Show  him  to  us!    We'll  fix  him!" 

"Dot  vos  richt !  Show  me  to  him !"  bellowed  Hans,  in 
great  excitement.  "Oh,  he  won't  do  a  thing  to  me!" 

"He  is  within  reach,"  declared  Frank. 

"Let  me  put  me  hand  on  th'  spalpane!"  shouted 
Barney. 

"Fix  bayonets !"  ordered  Merriwell. 

Clatter,  rattle,  snap ! 

"See  the  loft  up  there?  You  can  all  reach  it,  and  your 
bayonets  will  pierce  the  bark  and  brush.  If  the  spy  is 
there,  he'll  be  likely  to  get  prodded.  Ready  to  stir  him 
up!" 

The  boys  made  ready. 

Before  Frank  could  give  the  command,  however,  a 
shrill  cry  of  terror  rang  through  the  hut,  following  which 
a  portion  of  the  loft  gave  way,  and  down  came  a  sprawl- 
ing human  figure  amid  a  mass  of  bark  and  broken  poles 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

A  SPY. 

The  person  who  had  fallen  thus  scrambled  to  his  feet 
as  soon  as  he  struck  the  ground,  attempting  to  rush  out 
of  the  hut. 

"Seize  him !"  cried  Frank. 

A  broken  pole  had  struck  Ephraim  Gallup  on  the  head 
and  knocked  him  down.  The  Vermonter  was  on  the 
ground,  but  he  was  within  easy  reach  of  the  spy's  feet, 
and  he  clutched  one  of  them,  crying : 

"Hold  right  on  there,  b'gosh!  Don't  be  in  sech  a 
rush !" 

The  spy  was  tripped  up,  but  he  jerked  his  foot  from 
Ephraim's  grasp,  and  again  scrambled  up  and  made  a 
break  for  the  door. 

He  ran  plump  into  Hans  Dunnerwust,  who  fastened  to 
the  fellow  with  a  desperate  clutch,  and  down  they  went 
together,  the  Dutch  boy  squawking : 

"Hellup  i  hellup !  Shimminy  Gristmas !  If  I  don'd 
hellup  you  I  vos  a  deat  man  alretty  yet !" 

Ready  hands  clutched  the  spy,  who  was  dragged  to  his 
feet,  and  the  boys  obtained  a  fair  look  at  his  face. 

"Wat  Snell !"  cried  Frank. 

Wat  Snell  it  was,  and  he  looked  thoroughly  frightened 
and  ashamed. 

"Dud-dud-don't  hurt  me,  bub-bub-bub-boys!"  he 
quavered,  his  knees  shaking  beneath  him. 

Frank  immediately  saw  an  opportunity  to  have  some 
sport,  and  give  Wat  a  bad  scare  at  the  same  time. 


A  Spy.  161 

"You  shall  have  a  fair  trial,  Snell,"  he  said,  "and,  if 
you  can  prove  your  innocence,  you'll  not  be  hanged." 

"Oh,  say !"  mumbled  Wat,  forcing  a  laugh ;  "you  can't 
work  that  kind  of  a  racket  on  me.  I'm  not  afraid  of 
being  shot,  but  I  didn't  know — I  kind  of  thought — that  is, 
I  suspected " 

He  broke  down  completely,  but  his  eyes  were  moving 
about  in  a  restless  manner,  as  if  searching  for  some  one. 

"You  suspected  what?"  demanded  Frank,  sharply.  "I 
fancy  I  know.  You  thought  Bart  Hodge  might  feel  like 
settling  a  part  of  his  account  against  your  gang.  It  is 
possible  he  may  feel  that  way.  But  we  are  going  to  try 
you  as  a  deserter  and  a  spy.  As  I  said  before,  if  you  are 
able  to  prove  your  innocence,  you  shall  not  be  hanged." 

Then,  directed  by  Frank,  they  removed  the  captive 
from  the  hut  to  the  open  air,  where  he  was  quickly  sur- 
rounded. 

Frank  bade  the  hermit  good-day,  but  Black  Tom 
seemed  -greatly  agitated,  and  he  caught  hold  of  the  boy, 
saying : 

"They  will  come  back  and  keep  their  word — I  know 
they  will !" 

"Who — the  party  that  visited  you  first?" 

"Yes." 

"I  scarcely  think  there  is  much  danger  of  that,  for  they 
will  not  be  given  the  opportunity — if  I  can  help  it.  They 
are  fugitives  and  deserters  from  Fardale  Academy,  and  I 
was  sent  out  to  capture  them.  They  will  avoid  me,  if 
possible." 

"Well,  I  am  sure  you  will  be  successful  in  the  end ;  but 
keep  them  from  returning  here,  if  possible.  Why,  they 
even  threatened  to  burn  my  cabin,  saying  it  would  be  a 
good  thing  if  I  were  driven  from  these  parts." 

Frank  had  heard  other  persons  make  such  a  statement, 
but  he  did  not  say  so  then,  for  he  pitied  the  wretched  old 


162  A  Spy. 

man  who  lived  a  hermit's  life  there  in  the  heart  of  Ten- 
Mile  Woods. 

Leaving  the  hut,  Frank  found  the  cadets  gathered 
about  Snell,  who  now  looked  thoroughly  chagrined  and 
disgusted. 

"We  will  organize  an  impromptu  court-martial,"  said 
Frank.  "No  time  is  to  be  wasted  in  carrying  this  mat- 
ter through." 

"Bring  out  Black  Tom,"  suggested  Paul  Rains.  "We 
need  him  as  a  witness." 

"That's  right !"  cried  the  boys,  those  who  had  remained 
outside  being  eager  to  get  a  better  view  of  the  old  hermit. 

Frank  stepped  back  to  the  door  of  the  hut,  when,  to  his 
amazement,  he  saw  that  the  place  was  empty.  Black  Tom 
had  disappeared  in  a  most  surprising  manner. 

Into  the  hut  Frank  plunged,  looking  around  for  the  oW 
man,  for  he  knew  Black  Tom  had  not  left  the  place  by 
the  door,  which  was  the  only  exit. 

But  the  hermit  was  actually  gone,  nor  was  his  wretched 
dog  to  be  seen. 

Puzzled  and  mystified,  Frank  went  out  and  told  the 
boys  of  this  astonishing  disappearance. 

The  boys  could  not  believe  it  possible  that  Black  Tom 
had  vanished  thus  unaccountably,  but  none  of  them 
seemed  to  care  about  investigating. 

"Pwhoy  don't  ye  go  in  an'  foind  th'  ould  gent, 
Dutchy  ?"  asked  Barney  Mulloy,  with  a  sly  twinkle  in  his 
eyes. 

"Say,  you  come  righd  avay  off,  Parney!"  exclaimed 
Hans.  "Vy  don'd  you  do  him  yourseluf,  hey?" 

"I'll  tell  ye  one  thing,"  spoke  up  Ephraim  Gallup,  as  he 
moved  still  farther  from  the  cabin;  "yeou  don't  git  me 
inter  that  air  hole  ag'in,  if  I  know  myself!  Darned  if  I 
don't  b'lieve  it'd  scare  me  aout  of  a  year's  growth  to  go 
in  there  naow." 


A  Spy.  163 

"Veil,  dot  peen  a  goot  thing  vor  you,  Ephy,"  declared 
Hans.  "Uf  you  grown  some  taller  you  don'd  peen  aple 
to  go  der  door  uf  a  house  in  raitoudt  knockin'  your  bom- 
padour  down,  ain'd  id?" 

"Well,  there's  no  danger  of  that  so  far  as  you  are  con- 
cerned," laughed  Sammy  Smiles ;  "so  you  are  the  one  to 
go  in,  Hans." 

"That's  right !  that's  right !"  shouted  the  boys,  ready  to 
have  some  sport  with  Hans,  who  was  beginning  to  quake 
with  apprehension.  "You  are  the  one  to  go  in  and  dig 
Black  Tom  out.  Go  ahead  now,  and  don't  be  all  day 
about  it!" 

"Veil,  I  peen  shot  uf  I  do!"  shouted  the  Dutch  boy, 
taking  to  his  heels  and  running  at  top  speed  down  the  old 
wood  road,  while  the  others  of  the  party  were  convulsed 
with  laughter. 

It  did  not  take  Hans  long  to  disappear,  and  Ephraim 
Gallup,  who  had  been  edging  farther  and  farther  from 
the  hut,  suddenly  said: 

"Gol  derned  if  he's  goin'  to  git  away  like  that!  I'll 
jest  ketch  him  an'  bring  him  back." 

Then  he  started  after  Hans,  and  the  way  he  handled  his 
long  legs  added  greatly  to  the  merriment  of  the  party. 

When  this  merriment  had  subsided  somewhat,  it  was 
resolved  to  make  sure  that  Black  Tom  had  really  disap- 
peared. Many  strange  tales  had  been  told  of  the  old  her- 
mit's astonishing  doings,  but  the  boys  had  never  taken 
much  stock  in  any  of  them.  Frank  Merriwell  was  de- 
cidedly skeptical  about  anything  he  could  not  understand, 
and  he  still  thought  it  possible  Black  Tom  was  concealed 
somewhere  about  the  hut. 

Having  selected  three  companions,  Rains,  Smiles  and 
Gray,  Frank  entered  the  hut  once  more,  with  the  trio  at 
his  heels. 

The  interior  of  the  cabin  looked  the  same  as  it  had  a 


1 64  A  Spy. 

few  minutes  before,  but  nothing  could  be  seen  of  the  her- 
mit and  his  dog. 

There  seemed  to  be  no  place  of  concealment,  but  the 
boys  began  a  search,  and  they  carried  it  out  in  a  very 
thorough  manner,  looking  into  every  corner  that  could 
have  hidden  a  rat. 

At  last  they  were  compelled  to  give  up,  baffled,  and 
they  stood  looking  at  one  another  in  utter  bewilderment. 

"The  man  and  the  dog  must  have  left  the  hut  at  our 
very  heels  when  we  went  out  in  the  first  place,"  said 
Frank.  "We  did  not  observe  them,  and  they  slipped 
away  into  the  woods." 

"That  may  be  right,"  acknowledged  Sammy  Smiles, 
who  was  unusually  sober  for  him,  "but  I  think  it  is 
mightly  queer  not  one  of  us  saw  them  come  out." 

"So  it  is ;  but  we  must  accept  that  as  the  only  possible 
explanation.  They  could  not  have  left  by  that  window, 
for  it  is  too  small  and  too  high.  The  door  offers  the  only 
means  of  leaving  the  hut,  and  that  must  be  the  way  they 
went." 

"Well,  I  motion  we  leave  it,  and  go  on  about  our  busi- 
ness," put  in  Ned  Gray,  who  had  grown  decidedly  ner- 
vous. 

Frank  led  the  way  to  the  open  air. 

Outside  another  surprise  awaited  them. 

Wat  Snell  had  disappeared ! 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE    SHORE     OF    THE    LAKE. 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?"  demanded  Frank,  hold- 
ing himself  in  check  with  an  effort.  "How  did  he  hap- 
pen to  get  away?" 

No  one  knew,  it  was  said.  While  they  had  been  dis- 
cussing the  surprising  vanishing  of  Black  Tom,  Snell 
had  found  an  opportunity  to  slip  into  the  bushes  and 
make  good  his  escape. 

Frank  reprimanded  them  severely  for  carelessness. 

"This  is  very  unfortunate,"  he  said.  "Snell  will  lose 
no  time  in  joining  the  rebels,  and  they  will  know  just 
where  we  are.  They  will  be  on  their  guard." 

The  boys  knew  this  was  true,  and  they  felt  that  they 
had  been  guilty  of  gross  carelessness. 

"Wle  have  already  spent  too  much  time  here,"  declared 
Frank.  "Snell  must  not  -get  too  much  the  start  of  us." 

In  a  few  seconds  they  were  again  moving  briskly  along 
the  old  wood  road,  leaving  the  hut  of  the  strange  hermit 
behind. 

They  had  not  proceeded  far  when  a  great  commotion 
was  heard  in  the  bushes,  and  Ephraim  Gallup  appeared, 
dragging  Hans  Dunnerwurst,  who  was  angrily  pro- 
testing. 

"Uf  you  don't  let  go  uf  mein  person,  I  vill  ged  hurt  !'* 
cried  Hans,  threateningly. 

"Come  erlong!"  roared  Ephraim.  "Yeou're  the  big- 
gest scarecrow  I  ever  saw !" 

"Oh,  you  go  fall  mit  yourseluf  on !" 


166  The  Shore  of  the  Lake. 

"Come  erlong!" 

"Uf  you  don'd  leggo  mein  person,  I  peen  goin'  to  hit 
you  real  hard !" 

"Do  it  if  you  dast !" 

Then  Hans  punched  Ephraim  in  the  pit  of  the  stomach, 
doubling  the  Vermonter  up  like  a  jack  knife. 

"Ow-wow-wow !"  howled  the  country  boy,  when  he 
could  catch  his  breath.  "That  warn't  no  fair !  That  was 
below  the  belt,  gol  ding  ye !" 

"Veil,"  grinned  Hans,  who  thoroughly  enjoyed  the  con- 
vulsions of  the  lank  lad,  "uf  I  don'd  peen  aple  to  reach  up 
apove  der  pelt,  you  vill  haf  to  excuse  me." 

"Say,  you  thunderin'  Dutchman!  d'ye  know  what  I'm 
goin'  to  do  to  you  fer  this  air  ?" 

"Veil,  I  don'd  oxpect  I  do." 

"Well,  by  gum!  I'm  goin'  to  set  on  you,  an'  I'm 
goin'  ter  set  so  hard  that  when  I  git  up  there  won't  be 
northin'  of  you  left  but  a  grease-spot !" 

Ephraim  was  preparing  to  go  at  Hans  in  earnest,  but 
Frank  Merriwell's  voice  checked  further  hostilities. 

"You  may  quit  that !"  he  cried.  "We've  got  no  time  to 
waste  in  this  way.  Wait  till  we  overtake  the  rebels,  and 
then  you  may  have  all  the  scrapping  you  want.  Fall  in  !" 

They  did  not  dare  disobey,  and  so  they  fell  in,  and  the 
little  company  continued  its  brisk  march  toward  the  lake. 

They  were  not  far  from  the  lake,  which  was  soon  seen 
glittering  through  the  trees. 

Frank  brought  the  company  to  a  halt,  not  believing  it  •' 
best  to  march  boldly  out  to  the  shore  of  the  lake,  as  they 
might  be  seen  by  the  deserters. 

With  Fred  Davis  as  a  companion,  he  went  forward, 
leaving  the  boys  stretched  at  ease  on  a  mossy  spot. 

They  proceeded  cautiously,  not  knowing  but  they  might 
come  upon  the  deserters  unexpectedly. 

At  length  they  came  out  to  the  lake,  and  there  they 


The  Shore  of  the  Lake.  167 

found  the  smoldering  remains  of  a  fire,  and  every  evi- 
dence to  show  that  the  party  they  were  after  had  camped 
there  some  time  before. 

It  was  not  far  from  sunset,  and  Frank  was  not  at  all 
satisfied  with  their  day's  work,  for  he  had  expected  to 
overtake  and  capture  Reynolds  and  his  companions  that 
afternoon. 

Carefully  following  up  the  trail  left  by  the  party,  the 
boys  found  they  had  taken  to  the  sandy  beach?  and  had 
turned  back  toward  the  edge  of  the  woods. 

"They  may  have  sought  a  camping  spot  on  that  point 
over  there,"  said  Frank.  "It  will  be  a  good  plan  to  re- 
connoiter." 

"If  we  go  along  the  beach,  we  may  be  seen." 

"That's  true,  and  so  we  will  keep  within  the  edge  of  the 
trees  as  far  as  possible.  Come  on." 

Not  wishing  to  waste  any  time,  Frank  advanced  at  a 
rapid  pace,  and  Fred  found  it  no  easy  thing  to  follow. 
As  they  approached  the  point,  they  halted  frequently  to 
listen.  Knowing  the  point  must  give  them  a  good  view 
along  the  shore  in  both  directions,  Frank  led  the  way  out 
upon  it. 

Suddenly,  from  far  away  beyond  the  point,  came  a  wild 
cheer  of  youthful  voices,  followed  by  the  heavy  report  of 
a  gun. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

CAPTURE    OF   THE   BOAT. 

"Hullo !"  exclaimed  Frank.  "Those  are  the  deserters, 
and  they're  up  to  something.  Come  on,  Davis!" 

He  started  at  a  run  straight  across  the  point,  and  Fred 
followed  closely.  They  did  not  mind  the  bushes  and 
underbrush,  and  they  soon  came  out  on  the  other  side, 

To  Frank's  surprise,  they  were  not  far  from  the  edge 
of  the  forest,  the  old  woodroad  having  led  them  back  as 
it  came  down  to  the  shore  of  the  lake. 

At  no  great  distance  lay  Sailor  Jack's  schooner  beside 
the  floating  pier.  The  mainsail  was  up,  and  it  seemed 
evident  that  some  one  had  been  attempting  to  get  the  boat 
under  way.  The  deck  was  swarming  with  lads  in  the 
cadet  uniform  of  Fardale  Academy. 

But  there  was  trouble  on  board  the  Captain  Kidd,  and  a 
glance  showed  Frank  that  a  struggle  was  going  on. 

"Those  fellows  are  trying  to  get  away  on  the  schooner/' 
cried  Merriwell.  "They  must  be  stopped." 

Along  the  beach  he  ran,  and  Davis  still  followed,  won- 
dering how  in  the  world  Frank  was  going  to  stop  ten  des- 
perate and  determined  deserters  from  sailing  away  in  the 
Schooner. 

That  was  something  Frank  could  not  have  told  himself, 
but  he  hoped  to  find  some  method  of  preventing  the  re- 
bellious cadets  from  accomplishing  their  design. 

"If  they  get  away  it  may  take  a  week  to  overhaul  them 
and  bring  them  back,"  he  thought. 

As  the  boys  ran  forward,  they  saw  a  man  who  was 


Capture  of  the  Boat.  169 

battling  desperately  with  the  lads  on  the  schooner,  and  he 
was  easily  recognized  as  the  owner  of  the  craft,  Sailor 
Jack  himself. 

It  had  become  apparent  that  he  had  discovered  the  boys 
in  the  act  of  appropriating  his  vessel,  and  had  hastened 
to  prevent  the  accomplishment  of  their  design,  if  possible. 

But  the  boys  meant  to  sail  away  in  the  Captain  Kidd, 
and,  while  several  were  struggling  with  Sailor  Jack, 
others  were  casting  off  and  pushing  the  schooner  out 
from  the  pier. 

The  sailor  proved  himself  a  desperate  fighter,  for  he 
flung  the  boys  off  as  fast  as  they  sprang  upon  him,  and 
he  struck  some  blows  that  sent  them  staggering. 

Frank  and  Fred  were  seen  running  along  the  shore,  and 
the  deserters  sent  up  a  shout  of  defiance. 

Frank  had  hoped  to  reach  the  schooner  before  it  could 
swing  out  from  the  pier,  but  the  light  breeze  caught  the 
sail  and  the  craft  began  to  drift  away. 

That  the  boys  knew  little  about  handling  such  a  ves- 
sel was  apparent,  as  they  had  run  up  the  mainsail  first, 
when  the  jib  or  foresail  should  have  been  set  to  swing  the 
head  of  the  schooner. 

Seeing  Frank  approaching,  Reynolds  was  heard  to 
order  up  every  sail,  and,  with  bungling  haste,  the  de- 
serters sought  to  obey  his  directions. 

"Ten  to  one  they  beach  her,"  thought  Merriwell. 
"They  will  with  her  heading  as  she  is  now." 

But  the  faint  breeze  blew  directly  off  shore,  so  no  one 
but  the  most  bungling  lubber  was  liable  to  beach  the 
schooner.  Her  sails  filled,  and  she  swung  away. 

At  about  this  time  Bascomb  and  the  fellows  who  had 
been  struggling  with  the  owner  of  the  schooner,  suc- 
ceeded in  knocking  Jack  down  and  stunning  him. 

"Over  with  him !"  shouted  Bascomb.  "Let  him  swim 
ashore.  .We  don't  want  to  take  him  with  us." 


170  Capture  of  the  Boat. 

Then  the  man  was  lifted  bodily  and  cast  overboard. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  few  sailors  are  good  swimmers, 
and  it  is  doubtful  if  Sailor  Jack  ever  knew  how  to  swim. 
When  cast  into  the  water  in  the  first  place,  he  immediately 
sank  from  view,  and  he  was  beneath  the  surface  some 
/time. 

When  he  came  up,  Jack  tried  to  keep  his  head  above 
water,  but  his  desperate  efforts  to  do  so  were  baffling  to 
his  own  hopes,  and  he  went  down  a  second  time. 

By  this  time  Frank  realized  that  the  man  could  not 
swim,  and  was  liable  to  drown. 

The  schooner  had  acquired  considerable  headway,  and 
was  at  last  pointing  straight  out  into  the  lake.  No  one 
on  board  seemed  to  be  paying  much  attention  to  the  un- 
fortunate sailor  who  had  been  cast  overboard. 

Out  upon  the  floating  pier  dashed  Frank  Merriwell, 
stripping  off  his  coat  as  he  ran,  and  casting  it  aside.  Not 
a  single  instant  did  he  hesitate.  Having  noted  the  spot 
where  Sailor  Jack  had  disappeared,  he  plunged  in  and 
swam  toward  it. 

Frank  was  in  time  to  reach  the  drowning  man  as  he 
came  up  for  the  last  time.  Jack  had  long  hair,  and  the 
boy  fastened  his  fingers  in  that,  crying: 

"Steady,  now,  and  I  will  save  you !" 

But  Jack  was  frantic,  and  without  reason,  like  all 
drowning  persons,  and  he  tried  to  clutch  his  would-be 
rescuer. 

Frank  fought  him  off,  but  found  the  man  so  fierce  that 
it  was  with  no  small  difficulty  he  could  be  kept  at  a 
distance. 

"Keep  still !"  he  repeated,  over  and  over.  "Stop  it,  and 
I  will  get  you  out !" 

At  length,  becoming  exasperated,  he  lifted  one  clinched 


Capture  of  the  Boat.  171 

hand  out  of  the  water  and  struck  the  old  sailor  a  heavy 
blow  on  the  temple. 

That  was  enough  to  daze  Jack,  and  Frank  succeeded  in 
swimming1  with  him  to  the  pier,  where  Fred  Davis  aided 
him  in  drawing  the  man  out  of  the  water.  Together  they 
carried  him  ashore. 

It  was  not  very  long  before  the  sailor  began  to  come 
round,  so  Frank  decided  it  was  not  necessary  to  labor 
over  him. 

In  the  meantime,  the  schooner  was  bearing  the  tri- 
umphant deserters  away,  and  a  wild  chorus  came  from 
the  lips  of  the  reckless  crew,  growing  fainter  and  fainter 
with  the  increasing  distance : 

"Oh !  my  name  was  Captain  Kidd, 
When  I  sailed,  when  I  sailed; 
And  so  wickedly  I  did, 
When  I  sailed,  when  I  sailed." 

Frank  was  thoroughly  disgusted  with  the  result  of  the 
day's  pursuit  of  the  deserters.  They  had  not  been  over- 
taken, and  they  were  sailing  away  jubilantly,  tri- 
umphantly. 

Sailor  Jack  sat  up  and  shook  his  fist  after  the  schooner, 
gurgling  in  his  throat: 

"May  I  be.  keelhauled  if  I  don't  get  even  with  ye,  you 
lubbers !  Steal  my  schooner,  well  ye  ?  I'll  pay  you  back 
in  your  own  coin,  and  you  may  lay  to  that,  my  hearties !" 

Then  he  looked  at  Frank  and  Fred  in  a  dazed  sort  of 
way. 

"Why  ain't  you  with  'em  ?"  he  asked. 

"We  do  not  belong  to  that  gang,"  replied  Frank. 

"But  you  are  dressed  like  'em." 

"They  are  the  party  we  are  pursuing." 

"The  mutineers?" 

"Yes." 


172  Capture  of  the  Boat. 

"They  threw  me  overboard,  and  I  came  near  going  to 
Davy  Jones'  locker." 

"Rather." 

"You  pulled  me  out  ?" 

"I  did." 

,  "Well,  shiver  my  timbers  if  I  forget  it,  mate !  It's  the 
first  good  turn  any  human  being  has  done  me  in  years, 
and  I'll  remember  it.  What's  your  name?" 

"Frank  Merriwell." 

"Well,  Frank  Merriwell,  give  us  your  fin,  and  may  you 
get  your  grog  reg'lar  till  you  take  your  last  cruise  to 
that  country  from  which  no  sailor  ever  ships  again.  No, 
I  won't  forget  that  you  done  a  good  turn  for  Old  Jack." 

"I  wish  you  might  have  taken  the  time  and  attention  of 
those  fellows  two  minutes  longer,"  said  Frank.  "That 
would  have  given  me  time  to  reach  the  schooner." 

"I  done  my  best,  mate.  I  was  at  the  house  when  I 
first  saw  them  around  the  Kidd.  I  took  my  old  gun  and 
made  for  her  as  fast  as  I  could.  They  saw  me  coming, 
and  tried  to  get  her  away ;  but  they  couldn't  do  it.  I  tried 
to  scare  the  lubbers  off  with  my  gun,  but  shiver  my  tim- 
bers if  they  would  go!  Then  I  boarded  her,  and  in  the 
scrimmage  the  old  gun  went  off.  I  fought  them  till  they 
threw  me  over,  and  you  know  the  rest." 

"I  wonder  where  they  are  going  ?"  speculated  Frank. 

He  wrung  some  of  the  water  out  of  his  clothes,  and 
they  watched  the  schooner  till  it  swung  round  an  island 
that  lay  about  a  mile  away.  She  was  not  seen  again,  and 
Sailor  Jack  said  it  was  evident  the  deserters  intended  to 
pass  the  night  on  the  island. 

"Is  there  no  way  of  getting  over  to  them  to-night?" 
asked  Frank.  "If  boats  could  be  found  to  carry  my  com- 
pany  " 

"I  can  find  ye  two  boats,  mate,  and  they'll  take  five  men 
each." 


Capture  of  the  Boat.  173 

"Where  are  they?" 

"Within  a  mile  of  here." 

"Can  you  get  them  and  bring  them  here  within  two 
hours?" 

"Keelhaul  me  if  I  can't !" 

"Do  it,  and  I  will  pay  you  well." 

"I  don't  want  any  pay,  mate ;  but  I'd  like  to  get  my  ves- 
sel back." 

"Well,  I'll  help  you  do  that." 

"Then  I'll  be  on  hand  with  the  boats,  and  you  may  lay 
to  that." 

"And  I'll  be  on  hand  with  all  the  men  they  will  carry," 
assured  Frank.  "Reynolds  and  his  gang  shall  not  pass  a 
peaceful  night  on  the  island." 

After  a  few  more  words,  Frank  and  Fred  left  the  old 
sailor,  hastened  back  to  join  the  boys  who  were  still  wait- 
ing in  the  woods. 

The  sun  dropped  down  in  the  west,  and  darkness  was 
coming  on  when  Frank  rejoined  his  command. 

The  boys  were  all  eager  to  know  where  he  had  been, 
but  he  did  not  remain  there  while  relating  his  adventure. 
Without  delay  he  got  the  party  in  motion,  and  marched 
them  back  along  the  old  woodroad,  past  the  hut  of  the 
hermit,  which  seemed  dark  and  deserted,  and  reached  the 
highway  through  the  forest. 

During  the  march  he  told  them  what  had  happened,  and 
gave  his  plan  for  following  the  deserters  when  they  had 
taken  supper  at  the  old  farmhouse. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

ON      THE      ISLAND. 

Two  hours  later  the  entire  party  was  at  Sailor  Jack's 
floating  pier.  They  found  the  sailor  waiting  for  them 
with  the  boats. 

Frank  selected  eight  companions  to  accompany  him, 
the  sailor  being  the  ninth.  Barney,  Hans  and  Ephraim 
were  eager  to  go  along,  and  Frank  accepted  them. 

Hodge  was  placed  in  charge  of  one  boat,  and  Frank 
took  the  other.  Preparations  were  made  for  muffling  the 
oars  when  they  came  near  the  island,  and  they  pulled  off 
from  the  pier. 

For  all  that  it  was  a  decidedly  dark  night,  Sailor  Jack 
found  no  difficulty  in  piloting  them  over  the  lake  directly 
toward  the  island. 

By  the  time  half  the  distance  was  made  they  could  hear 
shouting  and  singing  on  the  island,  which  made  it  evi- 
dent that  the  deserters  were  enjoying  themselves. 

From  the  time  that  they  first  heard  these  sounds  there 
was  no  difficulty  in  bearing  straight  toward  the  island. 

It  seemed  quite  unnecessary  to  muffle  the  oars,  but 
Frank  saw  that  the  precaution  was  taken,  and  they  slipped 
noiselessly  up  to  the  shore  of  the  island. 

Having  secured  the  boats  where  it  seemed  certain  they 
would  remain  safely  concealed  until  wanted,  Frank  led 
the  way  toward  the  point  from  whence  the  singing  and 
shouting  came. 

Passing  through  a  thick  growth  of  timber  and  bushes, 
they  saw  a  campfire  gleaming  before  them. 


On  the  Island.  175 

"They're  in  the  old  fort,"  whispered  the  sailor. 

"What's  the  old  fort?"  asked  Frank. 

"It's  a  circular  wall  of  stones  on  that  little  elevation, 
and  nobody  knows  why  she  were  built  there  or  who  built 
her." 

"Well,  fort  or  no  fort,  we're  going  to  attempt  the  cap- 
ture of  that  gang." 

The  deserters  had  built  two  large  fires,  the  light  of 
which  revealed  their  surroundings  plainly,  and  shone  out 
on  the  water  of  a  deep  cove  that  made  into  the  island  on 
that  side.  The  schooner  lay  in  the  cove,  close  to  the 
shore,  so  close,  in  fact,  that  a  long  plank  had  been  run 
from  her  deck  to  the  top  of  a  low  bluff. 

Frank's  first  move  was  to  pass  around  the  camp  of  the 
deserters,  and  get  between  them  and  the  vessel. 

It  was  easy  enough  to  pass  round  the  camp,  but  it  was 
not  so  easy  to  cut  them  off  from  the  schooner  without 
being  seen. 

Believing  Reynolds  and  his  companions  would  be  over- 
whelmed by  a  sudden  attack,  Frank  made  every  arrange- 
ment, and,  at  a  signal  decided  upon,  the  cadets  gave  the 
academy  yell  and  charged. 

But  the  deserters  had  prepared  for  such  an  emergency. 
They  leaped  up  behind  the  low  wall  of  the  fort,  and  Rey- 
olds  was  heard  to  shout : 

"Stones,  boys — stones !     Give  't  to  'em !" 

Then  a  shower  of  stones  flew  at  Frank  and  his  party. 

"Shimminy  Gristmas !"  howled  Hans  Dunnerwurst.  "I 
vos  kildt  alretty  yet !  I  vos  hit  der  small  uf  der  stomach 
as  done  mit !  Ouch !  Dunder  and  blitzens !" 

"Shut  up  your  tarnal  towse!"  cried  Ephraim  Gallup. 

"You  make  more  fuss We-ow !  My  leg  is  broke ! 

I  can't  step  on  it!  Don't  throw  any  more  stones  this 
way !  I'll  surrender !" 

The  first  volley  of  stones  served  to  check  the  rush 


176  On  the  Island. 

somewhat,  but  Frank,  hit  three  times,  kept  to  the  front, 
shouting : 

"Forward !  Drive  them  out,  and  then  we've  got  'em ! 
Come  on,  lads !" 

"I'm  with  you !"  assured  Bart  Hodge. 

The  words  had  barely  left  Bart's  lips  when  he  was 
struck  in  the  head  by  a  stone,  and  fell  heavily  to  the 
ground. 

Frank  saw  Bart  go  down,  and  he  paused  a  moment. 
Then  he  realized  that  his  party  had  turned  and  were  tak- 
ing to  their  heels. 

An  exclamation  of  anger  came  from  Frank's  lips,  but 
he  saw  he  could  not  check  his  demoralized  company.  The 
deserters  had  prepared  to  fight  if  they  were  followed,  and 
the  volleys  of  stones  were  too  much  for  the  attacking 
company. 

Frank  caught  Bart  up  and,  flinging  his  limp  comrade 
over  his  shoulder,  hurried  away  into  the  darkness  beyond 
the  reach  of  any  stones  that  could  be  thrown  from  the 
fort. 

Merriwell  was  thoroughly  angered  by  the  manner  in 
which  his  comrades  had  fled  before  the  shower  of  stones, 
but  he  held  himself  in  check,  believing  in  controlling  and 
governing  his  temper. 

However,  when  he  found  the  cadets  huddling  in  the 
darkness  nursing  various  wounds,  he  expressed  his 
amazement  at  the  readiness  with  which  they  were  re- 
pulsed. 

But  he  was  concerned  over  Bart,  for  an  injury  such  as 
Hodge  had  received  might  prove  serious. 

In  a  few  seconds,  however,  Bart  showed  signs  of  re- 
turning consciousness,  and  he  finally  struggled  to  a  sit- 
ting posture,  holding  his  head  with  his  hands,  and 
groaning. 

"I  beheld  more  fireworks  than  were  ever  seen  at  any 


On  the  Island.  177 

Fourth  of  July  celebration,"  he  declared.  "Murder !  how 
my  head  aches !" 

When  he  found  the  deserters  had  beaten  them  off,  he 
did  not  hesitate  to  express  his  feelings  freely  and  forcibly. 

Suddenly  a  cry  of  consternation  came  from  the  de- 
serters, and  the  light  of  the  fires  showed  Sailor  Jack  on 
board  the  schooner.  The  old  salt  had  drawn  in  the  plank, 
and  was  getting  up  the  jib.  That  it  was  his  intention  to 
make  sail  and  get  away  with  the  vessel  as  soon  as  possible 
became  evident. 

The  deserters  were  thrown  into  a  state  of  dismay,  but 
Reynolds  was  heard  to  shout: 

"Out,  boys,  out!  Don't  let  him  get  off  with  the 
schooner !  We  are  trapped  if  he  does !" 

Out  of  the  fort  came  the  deserters,  some  of  them 
stumbling  and  falling  in  their  haste  to  reach  the  Captain 
Kidd. 

"Now  is  our  time,  lads !"  said  Frank,  in  a  low,  distinct 
tone.  "Jack  has  pulled  in  the  plank,  and  the  schooner 
has  swung  off  a  little.  They  will  not  succeed  in  reach- 
ing her.  Follow  me,  and  we  will  take  and  hold  the  fort. 
That  will  turn  the  tables  on  those  fellows,  and  force  them 
to  surrender." 

For  all  of  his  aching  head,  Hodge  was  on  his  feet  in  a 
moment,  and  the  other  boys  were  eager  to  carry  out 
Frank's  plan. 

Merriwell  held  them  in  check  long  enough  to  let  the  de- 
serters get  a  considerable  distance  from  the  fort.  Then 
came  the  low,  sharp  order : 

"Forward!     Follow  me!" 

They  made  a  dash  to  cut  off  the  deserters,  and  the 
movement  was  successful,  not  being  discovered  till  they 
were  nearly  into  the  fort. 

By  that  time  the  deserters  saw  they  could  not  reach 


178  On  the  Island. 

the  schooner,  and  they  realized  the  tables  had  been  turned 
on  them. 

"Back,  lads — back  to  the  fort!"  cried  Rupert,  in  con- 
sternation. "We'll  have  to  fight  for  it,  but  we  mustn't  let 
those  fellows  hold  it." 

Into  the  fort  leaped  Frank,  with  his  friends  close  be- 
hind him.  His  eyes  fell  on  the  little  heaps  of  round 
stones  that  had  been  gathered  for  the  purpose  of  defend- 
ing the  fort,  and  his  voice  rang  out : 

"Here's  our  ammunition,  fellow.s !  Beat  'em  off,  as 
they  did  us !  Hurrah !  We've  got  'em !" 

He  set  the  example  by  catching  up  a  stone  in  each  hand 
and  turning  to  send  them  whizzing  at  the  charging  foe. 

The  other  lads  were  not  slow  to  catch  on,  and  now 
Reynolds  and  his  crowd  faced  a  volley  that  drove  them 
back  precipitately,  and  sent  them  scampering  into  the 
darkness. 

The  victors  gave  the  academy  yell,  and  gave  it  with  a 
will. 

The  defeat  of  the  deserters  now  seemed  complete,  for 
they  had  left  provisions,  guns  and  so  forth,  on  board  the 
schooner,  and  Merriwell  had  turned  the  tables  on  them. 

"Veil,"  observed  Hans  Dunnerwurst,  "uf  dis  don'd 
peen  a  recular  war,  alretty !  You  pet  me  your  life  I  vos 
going  to  abbly  vor  a  bension." 

"It  strikes  me  those  fellows  will  have  to  surrender  un- 
conditionally," said  Frank. 

There  was  a  lull  of  a  few  moments.  It  was  impossible 
to  tell  what  the  enemy  was  doing,  but  Frank  more  than 
half  expected  Reynolds  was  making  preparations  to  lead 
another  charge  on  the  fort. 

But  the  minutes  slipped  away,  and  the  charge  did  not 
come. 

Frank  began  to  grow  uneasy.    Finally  he  said : 


On  the  Island.  179 

"Seven  can  hold  this  fort  as  well  as  nine.  Come  on, 
Bart,  let's  go  on  a  scouting  expedition." 

"I  am  with  you,"  assured  Hodge.     "Lead  the  way." 

Frank  leaped  over  the  wall  of  the  fort  and  ran  like  a 
deer  into  the  darkness,  followed  by  Bart  Of  course  they 
were  not  sure  they  would  not  run  straight  into  the 
clutches  of  the  enemy,  but  they  took  their  chances  on  it. 

Nothing  of  the  kind  occurred. 

As  soon  as  they  were  concealed  by  the  darkness,  Frank 
halted  and  said : 

"I  have  a  feeling  that  something  is  wrong,  Bart." 

"Same  here.     Those  fellows  are  altogether  too  still." 

"We  will  soon  find  out.     Come  on." 

Frank  led  the  way,  and  it  did  not  take  them  long  to 
reach  the  shore  where  they  had  left  the  two  boats. 

But  the  boats  were  not  there ! 

And  far  out  on  the  bosom  of  the  lake  came  the  sound 
of  working  oars ! 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE    BURNING    OF    THE    HUT. 

"Tricked !"  gasped  Frank. 

"Beaten !"  palpitated  Bart. 

"Those  fellows  have  found  our  boats  and  gotten  away 
in  them !" 

"Sure!" 

There  was  a  moment  of  dismayed  and  disgusted  silence, 
and  then  Frank  slowly  said : 

"I  was  afraid  of  it.  Sailor  Jack  is  gone  with  the 
schooner,  and  we  are  beautifully  trapped.  Oh,  but  won't 
Reynolds  and  Bascomb  chuckle  in  their  sleeves!  How 
they  ever  found  those  boats  is  a  mystery;  it  must  have 
been  by  sheer  accident." 

It  was  a  bitter  pill  to  swallow,  but  the  only  thing  they 
could  do  was  to  make  the  best  of  it.  To  make  sure  they 
were  not  mistaken,  they  searched  along  the  shore  for  the 
boats,  but  it  was  a  waste  ot  time.  The  boats  were  gone 
beyond  a  doubt. 

Never  in  all  his  life  had  Frank  felt  more  disgusted  than 
he  did  at  that  moment.  He  had  taken  pains  to  conceal 
the  boats,  and  the  rebels  had  stumbled  on  them  by  pure 
blundering  luck.  A  short  time  before  it  had  seemed  that 
the  deserters  were  well  overtaken  and  defeated  in  such  a 
manner  that  they  would  soon  be  forced  to  surrender,  but 
now 

"I  hate  to  go  back  and  tell  the  boys  the  truth,"  said 
Frank. 

Bart  groaned.     He  was  fully  as  disgusted  as  Frank. 


The  Burning  of  the  Hut.  181 

There  was  nothing  to  do  but  return  to  the  fort  and 
make  the  situation  known,  and  this  they  proceeded  to  do. 
Frank  braced  up  and  assumed  a  careless  air,  laughing 
heartily  as  he  told  how  they  had  been  tricked. 

"Great  gosh  all  thutteration !"  fluttered  Ephraim  Gal- 
lup. "You  don't  mean  to  say  we  are  left  here  on  this 
islan',  an'  we  ain't  got  no  way  of  gittin'  ashore?" 

"Oh,  there  is  a  way  to  get  ashore  all  right,"  smiled 
Frank. 

"Hoaw?" 

"Swim." 

"Shimminy  Gristmas !"  gurgled  Hans.  "Vot  you  dink 
we  peen — vish?" 

After  a  time  the  boys  recovered  sufficiently  to  laugh 
over  the  affair,  which  they  were  inclined  to  accept  as  a 
good  joke  on  themselves,  and  let  it  go  at  that. 

"The  fellows  we  left  on  shore  will  get  us  off  some  way 
in  the  morning,"  assured  Frank.  "We  can  raise  a  sig- 
nal of  distress,  and  that  will  bring  them  over." 

So  they  made  preparations  to  spend  the  night  on  the 
island. 

While  they  were  thus  engaged,  an  exclamation  of  sur- 
prise and  relief  came  from  Frank,  who  sprang  up  on  a 
large  stone,  standing  in  the  full  light  of  the  fires,  and 
waving  his  cap  about  his  head,  while  he  cried : 

"Schooner  ahoy !" 

The  light  of  the  fires  showed  them  the  Captain  Kidd 
swinging  round  in  the  little  cove,  with  Sailor  Jack  at  the 
helm. 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  called  back  the  old  tar.  "What's  hap- 
pened on  the  island?" 

"We're  castaway  —  marooned  —  Robinson  Crusoed," 
Frank  replied.  "Those  deserters  have  escaped  in  our 
boats,  and  left  us  here." 

The  sailor  was  surprised,  but  he  recognized  Frank,  and 


1 82  The  Burning  of  the  Hut. 

he  knew  there  could  be  no  trick  about  it,  so  he  brought 
the  schooner  into  the  deep  water  that  allowed  her  to  lay 
close  to  the  bluff.  Frank  and  Bart  were  on  hand  to  catch 
the  line  that  was  cast  ashore,  and  then  the  plank  was  run 
out,  and  the  relieved  and  delighted  boys  walked  aboard. 

"I  thought  I  would  lay  into  the  cove  and  see  how 
things  were  going,"  said  the  old  salt.  "I  didn't  think  of 
finding  you  in  this  scrape,  my  hearties." 

Frank  explained  how  it  came  about,  using  as  few 
words  as  possible. 

"It's  a  good  thing  for  us  you  cruised  round  this  way 
again,"  he  said,  in  conclusion.  "We  were  making  prepa- 
rations to  spend  the  night  on  the  island." 

"Well,  it'll  take  me  some  time  to  set  you  ashore,"  said 
Jack,  "for  I'll  have  to  beat  her  up  against  the  wind,  which 
is  not  very  strong.  If  it  holds  till  we  make  the  pier  we'll 
be  in  luck." 

The  plank  had  been  drawn  in,  and  the  boys  pushed  the 
Captain  Kidd  off  with  oars  till  some  flaws  of  wind  cut 
down  into  the  cove  and  gave  her  start  enough  so  she 
slowly  worked  her  way  out  into  open  water,  where  there 
was  a  better  breeze. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  long,  wearisome  task  of  beating  the 
schooner  up  against  the  wind,  but  Old  Jack  was  sailor 
enough  to  take  advantage  of  everything,  and,  two  hours 
after  leaving  the  island,  they  were  beating  past  the  edge 
of  Ten-Mile  Woods  on  their  "last  leg."  Through  an 
opening  in  the  trees  they  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  camp- 
fire,  around  which  a  party  of  lads  were  gathered. 

"They  must  be  Reynolds  and  his  gang,"  said  Frank. 
"I  do  not  believe  the  fellows  we  left  on  shore  would  have 
come  away  over  there  to  camp." 

When  the  pier  was  reached,  the  rest  of  the  party  was 
still  waiting  for  them  there,  so  it  was  settled  be* 


The  Burning  of  the  Hut.  183 

yond  a  doubt  that  the  campers  in  the  woods  were  the 
rebels  they  had  come  out  to  capture. 

"It  is  quite  probable  they  believe  themselves  safe,  and 
they  will  not  be  expecting  us,"  said  Frank.  "We  must 
lose  no  time  in  falling  on  them." 

In  a  very  few  minutes  the  entire  company  was  march- 
ing briskly  along  the  beach,  determined  to  end  the  hunt 
as  soon  as  possible. 

Beyond  the  wooded  point  they  came  upon  the  boats, 
which  had  been  drawn  out  upon  the  beach,  and  they  soon 
saw  the  fire  gleaming  through  the  trees. 

Frank  proposed  to  creep  up  on  the  deserters  and  sur- 
round them,  so  they  began  stealing  forward  through  the 
woods,  making  as  little  noise  as  possible. 

Each  csidet  was  now  armed  with  a  gun,  to  which  a 
bayonet  was  set,  and  it  was  Frank's  scheme  to  form  a  cir- 
cle of  steel  about  the  rebels,  so  there  could  be  no  escape 
for  any  of  them,  unless  they  chose  to  rush  straight  upon  a 
bayonet. 

The  campft're  had  died  down,  and  an  awesome  silence 
reigned  in  the  forest.  The  boys  were  forced  to  proceed 
very  slowly,  in  order  not  to  make  noise  enough  to  alarm 
the  enemy. 

In  this  way  considerable  time  was  spent  in  getting  near 
enough  to  the  fire  to  discover  that  there  seemed  to  be  no 
one  in  the  vie  "nity.  A  fear  that  he  had  been  fooled  again 
came  upon  Frank,  and  he  hastened  on  with  less  caution. 

In  a  few  moments  the  boys  were  gathered  by  the  fire, 
looking  inquiringly  into  each  other's  faces. 

"Vere  dey  vos,  ain'd  id  ?"  asked  the  puzzled  Dutch  lad. 
"Dey  don'd  peen  here  so  much  as  dey  vos  yet  avile,  I  pe- 
lief  me." 

"They  are  gone,"  said  Frank,  reluctantly,  "but  I  do 
not  believe  they  were  warned  of  our  coming  in  any  way." 

"Perhaps  they  were,"  said  Bart-,.    "It  is  possible  they 


1 84  The  Burning  of  the  Hut. 

had  a  spy  watching  the  pier  to  see  when  the  Captain 
Kidd  arrived." 

"It  is  possible,"  Merriwell  admitted.  "Perhaps  they 
decided  to  get  out  of  the  woods.  The  old  wood  road  is 
near,  and  they  must  have  gone  that  way." 

After  a  brief  consultation  with  Bart,  Frank  decided  to 
take  the  wood  road  and  follow  it  to  the  main  highway. 

It  was  dark  in  the  forest,  but  Frank  seemed  to  have  the 
eyes  of  an  owl,  for  he  led  them  to  the  road  without  dif- 
ficulty, and  they  were  soon  tramping  along  in  an  irregular 
line. 

"The  saints  defind  us !"  muttered  Barney.  "We've  got 
to  pass  th'  hut  av  th'  ould  hermit !" 

"What's  that  ere  light  ahead  there?"  asked  Ephraim 
Gallup.  "It's  gittin'  brighter  an'  brighter.  B'gosh!  it 
looks  like  a  fire !" 

"It  is  a  fire!"  cried  Frank,  as  the  glaring  light  grew 
stronger.  "It  is  a  burning  building,  at  that !  It  must  be 
the  hut  of  the  hermit !  Forward,  boys,  forward !" 

Away  they  rushed,  and  in  a  very  few  moments  they 
came  out  into  the  little  opening  where  the  hermit's  hut 
stood.  The  wretched  hovel  was  on  fire,  and  the  flames 
were  breaking  through  the  roof,  lighting  the  sur- 
roundings. 

As  the  boys  broke  into  the  opening,  the  light  of  the  fire 
showed  them  that  the  deserters  were  collected  near  the 
hut,  watching  the  fire,  but  making  no  attempt  to  extin- 
guish it.  Indeed,  they  were  laughing  and  shouting  for 
Black  Tom  to  come  out  and  show  himself. 

Frank  and  his  company  were  right  upon  the  deserters 
before  they  were  detected.  Then  Frank  shouted : 

"Surrender!    You  cannot  escape !" 

Reynolds  and  Bascomb  were  astonished,  for  they  fan- 
cied Frank  was  still  on  the  island,  from  which  he  would 
not  be  likely  to  escape  till  morning.  Their  bewilder- 


The  Burning  of  the  Hut.  185 

ment  made  it  possible  for  Frank's  party  to  cut  them  off 
on  three  sides,  while  the  burning  cabin  hemmed  them  in 
on  the  fourth. 

Bascomb  wanted  to  fight,  but  the  spirit  seemed  to  go 
out  of  Reynolds  in  a  twinkling,  and  he  said : 

"You've  caught  us  fast  this  time,  Merriwell.  We'll 
have  to  surrender." 

"You  fool!"  snarled  Bascomb.  "We  can  all  get  away! 
Come,  make  a  break !  Follow  me !" 

He  dashed  fiercely  at  the  line,  but  the  hard  fist  of 
Ephraim  Gallup,  propelled  by  the  country  boy's  muscular 
arm,  smote  the  bully  on  the  jaw,  and  Bascomb  went  to  the 
ground  in  a  heap — knocked  out ! 

"You  don't  want  to  run  up  ag'in  that  air  bunch  of 
bones,  'less  ye  like  to  hurt  yerself!"  grinned  Ephraim. 
"One  thump  of  that  fist  means  sickness,  an'  one  thump 
of  this  one  means  a  job  for  the  undertaker." 

The  manner  in  which  Bascomb  was  disposed  of  in- 
stantly checked  all  disposition  to  rush,  so  far  as  the  de- 
serters were  concerned,  and  it  seemed  that  their  capture 
was  easily  accomplished. 

"What  was  the  cause  of  this  fire?"  asked  Frank. 

"Oh,  we  thought  we'd  give  the  old  hermit  a  house- 
warming,"  laughed  Rupert  Reynolds. 

"What's  that?"  cried  Frank,  catching  him  by  the  arm. 
"What  do  you  mean  by  that?" 

Reynolds  drew  back  a  bit,  muttering: 

"You  needn't  crush  a  fellow's  arm  off !" 

Frank  shook  him  fiercely. 

"What  did  you  mean  by  your  words?"  he  demanded, 
in  a  tone  that  made  Reynolds  shiver.  "Do  you  mean  to 
say  you  set  that  hut  afire?" 

"What  if  we  did?  We  couldn't  do  a  better  thing  for 
this  section.  Everybody  is  afraid  of  Black  Tom,  and  the 
people  would  like  to  see  him  driven  away." 


186  The  Burning  of  the  Hut. 

"And  so  you  set  tire  to  the  only  home  the  poor  old 
man  has!  That  was  a  brave  and  manly  thing  to  do! 
You  should  feel  proud  of  yourselves !" 

Rupert  cowered  before  MerriwelFs  withering-  scorn. 
The  laughter  was  gone  from  his  face,  and  he  choked  with 
anger  and  fear,  as  Frank's  eyes  seemed  to  bore  him 
through  and  through. 

With  an  exclamation  of  disgust,  Frank  flung  Rupert 
aside;  but  a  second  later  he  had  the  fellow  by  the  arm 
again,  as  he  swiftly  asked : 

"Where  is  Black  Tom?" 

"I  don't  know,"  was  the  sullen  answer. 

"Did  you  look  for  him  ?" 

"Yes." 

"Where?" 

"We  called  for  him  to  come  out  of  the  hut" 

"Well?" 

"He  did  not  answer." 

"What  then?" 

"We  went  in  to  look  for  him." 

"What  did  you  find?" 

"Nothing  but  his  miserable  dog." 

"And  so  you  set  the  hut  afire !    A  fine  thing  to  do  !** 

"Oh,  the  dog  flew  at  us,  snarling  and  snapping,  and  we 
took  some  brands  from  the  fire  and  flung  them  at  the 
creature.  They  set  the  hut  afire.  That's  all  there  is  to 
it." 

"But  you  made  no  attempt  to  put  the  fire  out,  so  you 
are  responsible.  It  is  an  outrage  for  which  you  should 
be  punished." 

Reynolds  hung  his  head,  looked  sullen,  and  said 
nothing. 

Suddenly  the  boys  were  startled  and  electrified  by  hear- 
ing a  wild  cry  that  seemed  to  come  from  the  heart  of  the 
burning  hut. 


The  Burning  of  the  Hut.  187 

"What  was  that?"  asked  Bart  Hodge,  breathlessly.  "It 
sounded  like  a  human  cry  of  agony." 

"But  it  wasn't,"  declared  one  of  the  deserters.  "There 
was  no  human  being  in  that  old  hut.  It  must  have  been 
Black  Tom's  dog.  The  creature " 

He  was  interrupted  by  another  cry  that  was  so  weird 
and  wild  that  it  made  the  hair  stand  on  the  heads  of  the 
appalled  boys. 

"By  heavens!"  shouted  Hodge,  "that  was  no  dog! 
It  was  a  human  cry  of  distress !  There  is  a  human  being 
in  there.  The  hermit — the  old  man  is  burning  to  death  in 
that  fire!" 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
FRANK'S  FATE. 

The  horrified  lads  seemed  turned  to  stone.  They  stood 
and  stared  at  the  burning  hut,  appalled  beyond  measure. 

The  thought  that  a  human  being  was  perishing  in  that 
fire  seemed  to  rob  nearly  every  lad  of  strength  and  nerve. 

"It  must  be  the  hermit !"  rang  out  the  voice  of  Frank. 
"It  would  be  as  bad  as  murder  to  leave  him  there !  He 
roust  be  saved !" 

He  started  toward  the  hut,  but  Fred  Davis  caught  hold 
of  him,  crying: 

"No,  no — it  can't  be  done!  Look!  The  hut  is  all 
afire !  No  one  can  go  in  there  and  come  out  alive !" 

For  the  third  time  that  wild  shriek  of  agony  came  from 
the  heart  of  the  flames. 

In  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  Frank  hurled  Davis  aside, 
and  then  he  dashed  straight  at  the  fire-wreathed  door- 
way of  the  old  hut.  The  horror-stricken  lads  saw  him 
bend  his  head  and  plunge  straight  into  the  hut,  seeming 
to  disappear  beyond  a  curtain  of  fire. 

Fred  Davis  staggered,  and  seemed  on  the  point  of 
fainting,  as  he  gasped: 

"That's  the  last  of  him !  We'll  never  see  anything  of 
Frank  Merriwell  again  till  his  bones  are  exhumed  from 
the  ashes !" 

"I  am  afraid  you're  right,"  came  hoarsely  from  the  lips 
of  Bart  Hodge.  "It  does  not  seem  possible  for  any  hu- 
man being  to  go  in  there  and  come  out  alive." 

The  boys  waited  and  watched,  while  the  seconds  passed 


Frank's  Fate.  189 

and  the  flames  infolded  the  entire  hut.  But  Frank  did 
not  reappear,  and  hope  soon  turned  to  despair  in  the 
hearts  of  his  comrades.  In  silence  they  stood  around  and 
watched  the  fire  fiend  complete  his  work.  The  roof  of 
the  hut  fell  in,  sending  up  a  great  cloud  of  sparks,  some 
of  which  must  have  set  the  woods  afire,  but  for  the  fact 
that  there  had  been  several  days  of  rain  shortly  betore,  so 
the  forest  was  not  in  a  dry  state.  The  walls  tumbled  in, 
sending  up  more  sparks,  the  fire  died  down,  and  the  em- 
bers began  to  smoke. 

All  hope  had  long  been  dead,  but  still  the  boys  lingered 
and  stared  into  the  embers,  although  they  feared  what 
might  be  discovered  there. 

One  or  two  of  the  lads  turned  away  to  conceal  their 
emotions,  and  some  of  the  deserters  began  whispering 
among  themselves.  Bascomb  had  recovered  in  time  to 
see  Frank  plunge  into  the  burning  hut,  and  he  seemed  the 
only  one  who  was  not  affected. 

"He's  gone  for  good  now !"  the  bully  whispered  to  Rey- 
nolds. "Merriwell  will  never  trouble  us  again." 

Rupert  drew  back  from  Bascomb. 

"Yes,  he  is  gone,"  was  his  admission ;  "but  I  find  very 
little  satisfaction  in  that." 

"Oh,  what's  the  matter  with  you?"  sneered  the  big  fel- 
low. "You  make  me  sick !" 

"And  you  make  me  disgusted !"  returned  Reynolds.  "I 
feel  like  a  murderer,  for  we  started  that  fire." 

"That's  right,"  put  in  Wat  Snell ;  "but  we  didn't  know 
Merriwell  was  going  to  jump  into  it  like  a  fool." 

"He  made  a  brave,  though  foolish,  attempt  to  rescue 
the  old  man." 

"Perhaps  the  hermit  was  not  in  that  fire  at  all.  You 
know  it  is  said  he  has  the  power  of  appearing  and  disap- 
pearing at  will.  He  may  have  made  that  cry  seem  to 
come  from  the  flames  for  the  very  purpose  of  leading 


*90  Frank's  Fate. 

some  one  to  rush  in.  Maybe  that  was  his  scheme  to  get 
even  with  us  for  burning  his  hut." 

"Boys,"  said  Reynolds,  "do  you  know  we  are  in  a  pretty 
bad  scrape?" 

"How?" 

"Why,  this  whole  affair  will  count  against  us.  We 
fired  the  hut,  and  so  we  brought  about  Merriwell's  death." 

"Rot !"  broke  in  Bascomb.  "Your  blood  is  poor ;  you 
need  a  tonic." 

"And  you  were  the  one  who  led  us  into  this  business, 
anyway,"  said  Wat  Snell.  "You  hired  us  to  help  get 
Bascomb  out  of  the  guard-tent,  and " 

"I  wish  I  had  left  him  there !" 

"And  let  me  tell  why  I  thumped  you  ?" 

"Yes !"  flashed  Rupert.  "It  would  have  been  much  bet- 
ter for  me  if  I  had  let  you  blow  the  whole  matter." 

"You  would  have  been  dismissed  for  your  little  trick  of 
squirting  hartshorn  into  Merriwell's  face  during  the  hun- 
dred yards  dash  on  field  day." 

"And  you  would  have  taken  the  same  medicine  for 
blackmail,"  Reynolds  shot  back.  "You  have  blackmailed 
me  ever  since  that  time,  and  I  have  paid  you  more  than 
two  hundred  dollars  to  keep  still.  When  I  refused  to 
cough  up  seventy-five  dollars  all  in  a  lump,  and  called  yott 
a  blackmailer,  you  jumped  on  me  and  hammered  me. 
That's  the  truth  of  the  matter,  boys,  and  T  feel  better  now 
that  I  have  let  the  whole  thing  out." 

Reynolds  was  desperate  and  defiant,  and  he  would  not 
be  checked,  although  Bascomb  made  several  attempts  to 
choke  him  off. 

"Well,  you've  shown  yourself  up  in  good  shape!" 
sneered  the  bully. 

"Begobs,  Oi  think  he  has  shown  you  up  a  great  dal« 
better,  me  b'y !"  broke  in  Barney  Mulloy,  who  had  been 
listening.  "It  was  Frank  Merriwell  thot  knew  th'  thrick 


Frank's  Fate.  191 

all  th'  toime,  an'  nivver  opened  his  mouth  about  it.  Av 
Reynolds  had  jist  mintioned  how  th'  land  layed,  Merri- 
well  would  av  put  a  shtopper  on  Bascomb 's  toong.  Be- 
twane  yez  ye  hiv  had  a  hand  in  th'  murther  av  wan  av 
th'  bist  b'ys  thot  iwer  brathed,  rest  his  saoul !" 

Reynolds  nodded. 

"I  believe  it,"  he  muttered,  thickly.  "I  don't  know  that 
Merriwell  ever  did  me  a  bad  turn,  and  I  have  hated  him 
and  worked  against  him  ever  since  he  entered  the  acad- 
emy. I  feel  like  a  cur,  and " 

He  broke  down.  Believing  that  he  had  been  instru- 
mental in  bringing  about  Frank's  death,  he  was  overcome 
with  self-repugnance  and  remorse.  For  the  first  time  in 
his  life,  Reynolds  began  to  realize  that  his  own  character 
was  most  despicable.  When  a  lad  perceives  faults  in  him- 
self, and  is  ashamed  of  himself  on  that  account,  there  is 
hope  for  him. 

Bascomb  longed  to  give  Reynolds  another  thumping, 
and  once  more  he  sneered : 

"You  make  me  sick !" 

"You  are  likely  to  be  a  great  deal  more  so  before  this 
matter  is  settled,"  said  Bart  Hodge,  who  had  been  over- 
come by  the  events  of  the  last  half-hour.  "You  are  a  fel- 
low who  is  no  good  on  earth,  and  Fardale  Academy  can 
well  get  along  without  you.  One  of  Frank  Merriwell's 
fingers  was  worth  a  thousand  such  creatures  as  you! 
Dose  your  mouth !  If  you  make  a  reply,  111  have  you 
tied  up  to  a  tree,  and  flogged,  as  you  wanted  me  flogged !" 

Bascomb  was  cowed  into  silence,  but  his  eyes  told  of 
the  bitter  rage  within  his  soul. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

WORDS  WITH  THE  HERMIT. 

It  was  a  sorrowful  party  that  carried  the  news  of 
Frank  Merriwell's  fate  back  to  Fardale  Academy — news 
which  produced  unbounded  horror  and  grief,  and  caused 
Professor  Scotch  to  break  down  and  weep  like  a  child. 

The  humbled,  trembling  deserters  went  along  quietly, 
quaking  with  fear,  for  they  knew  not  what  punishment 
might  fall  upon  them,  as  their  reckless  rebellion  had 
brought  about  the  tragedy. 

How  happy  they  would  have  been  could  they  have 
known  Frank  was  not  dead — was  not  seriously  injured! 

When  Frank  rushed  into  the  burning  cabin  he  was  de- 
termined to  save  the  old  hermit,  if  he  could  find  him.  In 
his  heart  he  felt  that  his  rebellious  comrades  would  be 
guilty  of  murder  if  Black  Tom  perished  in  the  fire  they 
had  set. 

The  heat  scorched  his  face  and  hands,  but  he  held  his 
breath,  dashing  straight  into  the  cabin,  going  in  blindly, 
as  it  were.  He  depended  in  a  great  measure  on  being 
guided  to  the  old  man  by  fate. 

The  smoke  was  dense  inside  the  hut,  and  tongues  of 
red—yellow  flames  reached  out  and  tried  to  wind  about 
him.  He  put  out  his  hands  like  one  gone  blind,  feeling 
here  and  there  in  his  search  for  the  man.  Ten  thousand 
fiery  demons  seemed  to  surround  him  and  hem  him  in, 
and  then 

It  seemed  that  the  world  fell  away  beneath  his  feet. 
There  was  a  great  shock  and  a  blank. 


Last  Words  With  the  Hermit.        193 

When  Frank  recovered  consciousness  he  was  lying  in 
a  dark,  hot  place,  with  a  smell  of  smoke  strong  in  his  nos- 
trils. The  air  was  so  heavy  that  he  breathed  with  dif- 
ficulty, and  he  groaned  a  bit  when  he  made  the  first  effort 
to  move. 

Then  a  hand  came  and  touched  his  face — a  bony, 
skinny  hand — and  a  muffled  voice  said : 

"So  you  are  coming  round.  I  thought  you  could  not 
be  hurt  very  bad." 

It  was  the  voice  of  Black  Tom! 

That  voice  brought  everything  back  to  him.  He  re- 
membered the  burning  hut,  the  shrieks  of  agony,  his  mad 
rush  to  the  rescue,  and  the  fall  and  shock. 

"But  I  am  not  burned  to  death,"  he  mumbled.  "It  is 
hot  here,  and  I  smell  smoke ;  but  I  am  not  burned." 

"You  may  find  your  face  and  hands  are  scorched  some, 
but  that  is  all,"  said  the  voice  of  the  hermit. 

He  put  out  his  hand,  and  touched  a  wall  of  stone.  It 
seemed  that  he  could  almost  feel  the  darkness. 

"Where  am  I?"  he  asked. 

"You  are  safe  from  the  fire." 

"That  is  evident,  but  it  does  not  answer  my  question. 
You  are  Black  Tom,  and  you  did  not  perish  in  the  burn- 
mg  hut." 

"For  which  I  have  no  cause  to  thank  your  friends. 
They  burned  my  home,  and " 

"The  ones  who  did  that  have  never  been  very  friendly 
to  me,  although  it  is  true  that  they  are  fellow  cadets." 

"You  had  no  hand  in  setting  the  fire?" 

"I  should  say  not!"  returned  Frank,  indignantly.  "I 
am  not  up  to  that  kind  of  business !" 

"I  knew  it.  I  read  your  character  correctly  in  the  first 
place." 

Frank  had  struggled  to  a  sitting  posture.    He  placed 


194       Last  Words  With  the  Hermit 

his  back  against  the  wall  of  stone,  but  the  heat  and  smoke 
were  stronger  when  he  did  so. 

"We  cannot  be  far  from  the  fire/'  he  said.  "You  have 
not  answered  my  question.  Where  are  we  ?" 

"In  the  passage  that  leads  to  my  cellar,"  replied  the 
Strange  man. 

"Well,  that  beats  me!  I  didn't  know  you  had  any 
cellar;  I  thought  the  floor  of  your  hut  was  the  solid 
ground." 

"So  it  seemed." 

"But  it  was  not  built  thus  ?" 

"No.  The  hut  was  built  years  ago  by  an  escaped  con- 
vict, who  lived  here  in  the  woods  till  he  died.  He  made 
the  cellar,  and  he  constructed  it  for  a  place  of  conceal- 
ment in  case  he  should  be  pursued  and  cornered  by  the 
officers.  Heavy  timbers  were  used  to  roof  over  the  cellar, 
and  these  timbers  were  covered  with  thin,  flat  rocks. 
Then  the  dirt  was  placed  on  the  rocks,  and  made  to  a 
level  with  the  ground  outside  the  hut.  This  made  it 
seem  that  there  was  no  cellar,  and  that  the  hut  was  built 
on  the  solid  ground." 

Frank  Merriwell  felt  that  he  was  dreaming.  It  was 
like  an  extract  from  some  marvelous  story,  and  he 
pinched  himself  to  make  sure  that  he  was  truly  awake. 

"In  order  to  have  means  of  getting  into  the  cellar," 
continued  the  harsh  voice  of  the  hermit,  "he  left  an  open- 
ing up  through.  This  he  covered  with  a  large,  flat  stone, 
which  he  worked  on  hinges,  like  a  trap-door.  This  stone 
was  immediately  in  front  of  the  fireplace,  and  seemed  like 
a  hearth.  Below  the  stone  he  placed  a  ladder  that  ran 
straight  down  into  the  cellar.  Any  one  in  the  cellar 
could  fasten  the  stone  so  it  could  not  be  lifted  without 
the  aid  of  levers,  if  some  one  above  should  take  a  notion 
to  see  if  there  was  something  worth  looking  at  be- 
neath it." 


Last  Words  With  the  Hermit.        195 

"That  fellow  was  a  genius,"  commented  Frank. 

"He  was  resolved  not  to  be  caught  and  penned  in  the 
cellar,"  the  strange  man  went  on,  "and  so  he  excavated  a 
passage  from  the  cellar  to  the  heart  of  a  thick  mass  of 
shrubbery  a  short  distance  from  the  hut.  We  are  in  that 
passage  now." 

"All  this  is  quite  astonishing,"  admitted  Frank;  "but 
how  do  I  happen  to  be  here?" 

"Shortly  before  my  home  was  set  afire,"  continued  the 
harsh  voice  of  the  hermit,  "I  heard  cries  outside.  A 
crowd  was  calling  for  me  to  come  out.  I  have  seen  such 
mobs.  I  nursed  the  man  who  built  this  hut ;  I  was  with 
him  when  he  died,  and  I  buried  him  here  in  the  woods. 
He  told  me  the  secret  of  the  cellar  and  the  passage,  and 
I  have  lived  here  since.  But  many  times  people  have 
come  in  mobs  to  drive  me  away.  They  hate  me,  and 
they  will  not  let  me  live  in  peace.  Some  of  them  said  I 
was  the  escaped  convict.  I  heard  them  shouting  outside 
to-night,  and  I  quickly  descended  into  the  cellar." 

"I  fancy  that  cellar  has  enabled  you  to  appear  in  a 
manner  that  was  most  baffling  and  mysterious." 

"It  has  mystified  not  a  few  people,  but  it  will  never  aid 
me  more,  for,  with  the  coming  of  another  day,  Black 
Tom  will  move  on  once  more.  The  people  about  here 
will  be  satisfied,  as  they  will  succeed  at  last  in  driving 
me  away.  Where  I  may  go  I  know  not,  but  I  am  afraid 
to  stay  here  longer. 

"As  I  said,  I  descended  into  the  cellar,  and  there  I  re- 
mained till  I  fancied  my  enemies  must  be  gone.  Then  I 
lifted  the  trap  and  made  the  terrible  discovery  that  my 
home  was  burning.  I  cried  out  in  anguish — I  called  to 
my  dog.  Then  I  saw  you  come  rushing  blindly  through 
the  smoke,  with  the  glare  of  the  fire  yellow  on  your  face, 
and  I  recognized  you." 

"I  heard  your  cries ;  I  sought  to  save  you." 


196       Last  Words  With  the  Hermit. 

"I  knew  that  must  be  it.  You  were  blinded  by  the 
smoke,  and  you  staggered  directly  over  the  opening.  I 
barely  had  time  to  get  out  of  the  way,  when  you  plunged 
into  the  cellar." 

"That  was  when  it  seemed  that  everything  fell  out  from 
beneath  my  feet." 

"My  dog  came,  I  saw  my  home  was  doomed,  and  I 
closed  down 'the  trap.  Then,  the  heat  growing  strong,  I 
dragged  you  into  the  passage,  where  we  are  at  this  mo- 
ment." 

"And  the  rest  of  the  boys  must  think  I  met  my  fate  in 
the  burning  hut.  They  must  believe  me  dead." 

"Fate  has  something  far  better  in  store  for  you  than 
such  a  death." 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  it,"  said  Frank,  with  a  grim  smile 
in  the  dark. 

"After  this  night,  it  is  not  probable  that  you  will  ever 
again  look  on  the  face  of  Black  Tom;  but  you  will  not 
forget  him  ?" 

"I  am  not  likely  to,  and  I  shall  not  forget  that  some 
fellows  who  wear  uniforms  like  my  own  burned  his  home. 
It  is  a  shame!  To-morrow — or  to-day,  if  midnight  is 
past,  and  it  must  be — I  will  do  my  best  to  raise  a  fund 
among  the  students  at  Fardale  Academy,  enough  to  en- 
able you  to  rebuild  your  cabin.  I  will  keep  secret  the 
truth  concerning  this  cellar,  and  you  may  continue  to  live 
here  in  peace." 

"No,"  was  the  sad  return;  "it  is  ordained  that  I  shall 
remain  here  no  longer.  I  appreciate  your  kindness,  but 
Ten-Mile  Woods  will  know  Black  Tom  no  more." 

It  was  useless  for  Frank  to  talk  of  it ;  he  had  made  up 
his  mind,  and  nothing  could  change  it.  He  refused  to 
wait  till  money  was  collected  to  pay  him  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  his  home. 

"Come,"  said  Frank,  when  he  felt  that  his  strength 


Last  Words  With  the  Hermit.        197 

was  greatly  restored,  "lead  the  way  to  the  open  air.  The 
air  is  foul  in  here,  and  I  cannot  stand  it  longer." 

"We  will  go  forth  if  your  companions  have  departed," 
said  the  hermit.  "All  I  ask  is  that  they  be  punished  for 
a  little  time  by  supposing  you  have  been  destroyed  in  the 
fire." 

They  crept  along  the  narrow  passage,  Frank  finding  it 
necessary  to  crouch  low,  and  finally  came  to  some  rude 
stone  steps,  which  led  up  into  the  heart  of  a  tangled  mass 
of  bushes  and  small  trees.  Frank  drew  in  long  breaths 
of  the  cool  night  air,  and  was  very  thankful  for  his  escape 
from  death. 

Of  the  hut  nothing  but  a  glowing  mass  of  embers  re- 
mained, and  the  cadets  had  departed. 

At  parting  but  few  words  passed  between  the  boy  and 
the  strange  man,  whose  dog  had  followed  them  from  the 
secret  cellar.  Black  Tom  bade  him  go,  and  he  left  the 
man  standing  in  the  reddish  glow  of  his  ruined  home. 
Before  passing  from  view  along  the  wood  road,  he 
looked  back.  The  hermit  was  darkly  -outlined  against 
the  light  of  the  dying  embers.  The  dog  was  crouching 
at  his  heels. 

That  was  the  last  Frank  ever  saw  of  Black  Tom. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  HANDS  OF  FRIENDS. 

As  he  thought  about  the  hermit's  strange  story,  Frank 
came  to  the  belief  that  Black  Tom  was  the  escaped  con- 
vict, although  the  old  man  had  stated  the  convict  was 
dead. 

On  his  way  to  camp  he  soon  found  himself  passing  the 
home  of  Sailor  Jack. 

He  wondered  if  the  old  sailor  were  still  watching  on 
board  the  Captain  Kidd,  or  if  he  had  come  home  and  gone 
to  bed. 

Frank  felt  a  strong  desire  to  know  about  this,  and, 
almost  before  he  was  aware  that  he  had  left  the  road,  he 
was  close  to  the  house.  He  paused,  wondering  what  had 
brought  him  there. 

"I'm  afraid  it  wouldn't  be  very  healthy  for  any  one  to 
be  rapping  around  this  place  at  this  time  of  night,"  he 
thought.  "Jack  might  come  out  with  his  old  gun  and  do 
some  shooting." 

Glancing  round  the  corner,  Frank  fancied  he  saw  a 
gleam  of  light  that  came  from  a  window  near  the  back 
of  the  house.  This  aroused  his  curiosity,  and  he  cau- 
tiously and  silently  made  his  way  round  to  the  window. 

He  was  not  mistaken.  There  was  a  curtain  at  the  win- 
dow, but  a  lower  corner  was  torn  away,  and  a  light  shone 
out. 

In  a  moment  Frank  was  peering  into  the  room. 

What  he  saw  made  him  gasp  with  astonishment  and 
incredulity. 


The  Hands  of  Friends.  199 

"Am  I  dreaming?"  flashed  through  his  brain.  "I  must 
be !  This  is  not  really  happening !" 

He  found  himself  looking  into  a  wretched  room,  where, 
on  the  floor,  lay  Sailor  Jack,  securely  bound  and  gagged. 
There  were  two  other  men  in  the  room,  and  their  faces 
were  hidden  by  black  masks. 

One  of  the  men  was  heating  an  iron  poker  in  the  open 
fire.  The  other  was  talking  to  the  old  sailor,  and  the  boy 
outside  could  understand  his  words. 

"We  know  ye've  got  a  heap  of  money  stowed  away 
somewhere,  me  covie,  an'  we're  goin'  ter  have  it — see! 
We  know  ye  found  a  buried  pirate's  treasure,  an'  we're 
goin'  ter  make  yer  cough  it  up.  We  mean  biz,  an'  we're 
bad  men  ter  monkey  wid.  Me  pal  is  heatin'  der  iron  ter 
warm  up  yer  foot  wid,  an'  we'll  have  yer  boodle  if  we 
have  ter  burn  yer  leg  off,  inch  by  inch,  clean  ter  yer  body. 
Yer  might  as  well  cough  before  we  begin.  If  ye'll  give 
up  der  swag,  wink  yer  right  eye;  if  yer  won't  wink  yer 
left  eye." 

The  man  looked  into  Jack's  face,  and  then  he  cried : 

"Left  she  is  !     Bring  on  der  poker,  pal." 

He  jerked  off  the  sailor's  boot  and  stocking,  and  the 
Other  man  approached  with  a  red-hot  iron. 

A  groan  came  from  behind  the  gag  in  the  sailor's 
mouth. 

Shuddering  with  horror,  Frank  turned  away. 

"The  monsters !"  thought  the  boy. .  "I  don't  purpose 
to  see  that  man  tortured  and  robbed !  What  can  I  do  ?" 

He  sought  for  a  heavy  club  that  would  serve  as  a 
weapon  of  assault,  and  in  a  few  seconds  he  found  what  he 
desired. 

Then  he  came  back  to  the  window,  and  looked  in  again. 

The  old  sailor  was  writhing  with  pain,  and  one  of  the 
men  was  heating  the  poker  again. 

Evidently  the  wretches  had  applied  the  iron  once. 


20O  The  Hands  of  Friends. 

"Dat's  a  taste,"  said  the  man  who  had  spoken  before. 
"Next  time  we'll  give  yer  a  lunch,  an'  dat'll  be  follered 
by  a  square  meal.  Don't  be  a  fool!  We're  tender- 
hearted as  chickens,  an'  we  don't  want  ter  hurt  yer  'less 
ye  make  us.  Just  tell  where  der  boodle  is  hid,  an'  we 
won't  burn  yer  no  more.  Wot  d'yer  say?" 

Sailor  Jack  shook  his  head. 

"Come  on  wid  der  tickler,  pal !"  cried  the  spokesman. 

The  man  with  the  poker  took  it  from  the  fire,  and  again 
approached  the  helpless  cripple. 

Frank  decided  that  the  time  for  action  had  come. 
With  a  single  blow  of  the  club  he  held  he  shattered  the 
window,  smashing  in  sash,  glass,  and  all. 

Like  a  flash,  the  young  athlete  leaped  through  the  open- 
ing he  had  thus  made,  and  was  within  the  room. 

The  masked  men  had  started  to  escape,  not  knowing 
but  a  large  number  of  assailants  were  right  upon  them. 

Before  they  could  get  out  of  the  room,  Frank  brought 
the  club  down  on  the  head  of  one  of  them,  knocking  him 
senseless. 

Then  the  boy  caught  the  other  fellow  by  the  collar  and 
flung  him  back  into  the  room,  crying : 

"You  shall  not  get  away,  you  villain !" 

The  man  staggered,  retained  his  balance  with  some 
difficulty,  and  then,  seeing  Frank  was  followed  by  no 
others,  whipped  out  a  wicked-looking  knife. 

The  boy  sprang  aside,  and  down  came  the  club  once 
more.  The  ruffian  threw  up  one  arm  to  shield  his  head, 
but  it  dropped,  broken,  at  his  side,  and  he  was  sent  reel- 
ing. Before  he  could  recover,  the  brave  boy  stretched 
him  senseless  beside  his  pal. 

"Hurrah !"  shouted  Frank,  as  he  caught  up  the  ruffian's 
knife  and  hastened  to  set  Sailor  Jack  free.  "That  was 
the  way  to  cook  'em-!" 


The  Hands  of  Friends.  201 

The  sailor  sat  up,  working  his  jaws  to  get  the  cramp 
out  of  them.  When  he  could  speak,  he  said : 

"Shiver  my  timbers  if  I  ever  saw  anything  like  that! 
Boy,  you're  a  wonder — a  cyclone,  tornado,  simoom !  Do 
you  know  what  you've  done?  I  believe  these  two  lubbers 
are  One-Thumb  Harris  and  Slippery  Goggs,  two  profes- 
sional burglars,  for  whose  capture  there's  a  reward  of 
three  hundred  dollars  each  offered,  keelhaul  me  if  I 
don't!  You'll  get  the  reward  if  I'm  right,  and  I  won't 
forget  you  myself.  You  may  lay  to  that,  my  lad." 


The  old  sailor  was  right ;  the  captured  ruffians  proved 
to  be  the  burglars  for  whom  the  rewards  were  offered, 
and  in  due  course  of  time  the  money  came  into  Frank's 
hands. 

Both  Frank  and  Sailor  Jack  were  interviewed  by  nu- 
merous newspaper  reporters,  and  the  story  of  the  boy's 
daring  single-handed  attack  upon  and  capture  of  the 
ruffians  who  were  torturing  the  sailor  was  published 
broadcast,  scores  of  papers  containing  Frank's  picture. 

The  astonishment  and  unutterable  joy  created  by 
Frank's  safe  return  to  the  academy  may  be  much  better 
imagined  than  described.  He  was  hailed  as  one  risen 
from  the  dead,  the  encampment  went  mad  with  joy,  his 
hand  was  nearly  shaken  off,  he  was  hugged,  he  was  lifted 
on  strong  shoulders  and  borne  round  and  round  the 
camp,  followed  by  every  cadet  of  the  academy,  all  of 
them  laughing,  shouting,  cheering,  and  singing.  The 
band  quickly  assembled  and  headed  the  procession,  a 
salute  was  fired  from  the  artillery  in  use  at  the  school, 
and  Professor  Gunn  made  a  speech,  filled  with  thanksgiv- 
ing and  praise  for  Frank.  Little  Professor  Scotch  tried 
to  say  something,  but  he  broke  down  and  embraced 


202  The  Hands  of  Friends. 

Frank,  while  the  tears  of  joy  ran  down  his  face,  and  an- 
other wild  cyclone  of  cheers  went  up  from  the  cadets. 

Such  a  scene  had  never  before  been  witnessed  at  Far- 
dale.  No  outside  spectator  could  have  dreamed  Frank 
Merriwell  had  ever  found  a  foe  amid  that  rejoicing 
throng. 

The  deserters  were  severely  punished  in  the  way  of  de- 
merit and  extra  duties,  with  curtailed  privileges,  but  none 
of  them  was  dismissed. 

Three  weeks  later  Sailor  Jack  was  attacked  by  a  sud- 
den and  severe  illness,  of  which  he  died  in  three  days. 
He  sent  for  Frank  before  the  end,  and,  putting  a  paper 
into  the  boy's  hand,  said: 

"They  say  I'm  goin'  to  ship  for  a  long  voyage,  my  lad. 
I  can't  take  my  money  along.  You're  the  only  person 
who's  showed  any  kindness  to  me  of  late,  and  keelhaul 
me  if  I  don't  leave  every  cent  of  my  money  to  you !  It's 
an  old  pirate's  treasure  I  located  and  dug  up  on  Long 
Island.  Just  what  it  amounts  to,  I  don't  rightly  know. 
That  paper's  my  will,  and  I've  had  it  fixed  right  by  a 
lawyer.  Here's  another  paper  that  tells  where  to  find  the 
money.  I  intended  to  die  without  ever  tellin'  anybody 
where  it  was  hid,  but  I  feel  better  that  I've  found  some- 
body that's  worth  havin'  it,  and  you  may  lay  to  that." 

So  the  old  sailor  died,  and  Frank  was  chief  mourner  at 
the  funeral.  The  treasure  was  found  where  it  was  hid- 
den, and,  when  its  value  was  ascertained,  Frank  Merri- 
well was  known  to  be  worth  over  forty  thousand  dollars. 

"I  congratulate  you!"  said  Bart.  "You  deserve  it. 
But  what  will  you  do  with  the  pile  ?" 

"I'll  put  it  in  the  bank  for  the  present,"  returned 
Frank.  "Some  day,  perhaps,  I'll  find  good  use  for  it." 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
GO  AHEAD! 

Cne  day  the  cadets  were  discussing  a  recent  close  and 
exciting  football  game  with  the  eleven  from  a  rival 
academy. 

"I  tell  you  what,  fellows,"  said  jolly  little  Sammy 
Smiles,  who  had  won  glory  as  quarter-back,  "those  Irv- 
ington  fellows  had  us  fairly  blocked  twenty  seconds  be- 
fore Merriwell  made  the  touchdown  that  settled  the 
game." 

"That's  right,"  nodded  Bart  Hodge.  "I  couldn't  see  a 
ghost  of  a  show  for  us.  It  looked  to  me  as  if  our  attempt 
to  break  through  their  center  would  be  a  pitiful  failure. 
And  so  it  would  have  been  if  Merriwell  hadn't  shouted 
'Go  ahead !'  at  just  the  right  moment." 

"Begobs,  thot's  roight!"  agreed  Barney  Mulloy. 
"When  he  shouted  thot  it  put  new  loife  into  us,  an'  we 
broke  through  their  loine  loike  they  wur  babies." 

"It  was  those  two  words  that  won  the  day  for  Far- 
dale,"  asserted  Paul  Rains.  "I  believe  they  put  ginger 
4  into  every  one  of  us." 

Frank  laughed. 

"In  that  case,"  he  declared,  "I  am  going  to  take  them 
for  a  motto — for  a  war  cry." 

"Yah,"  said  Hans  Dunnerwust,  "dot  peen  a  goot  vaw- 
gry.  Ven  you  say  dot,  I  peen  retty  to  sdant  your  pack 
py  und  seen  you  do  him.  Dot  vos  der  kindt  uf  a  hair- 
bin  I  peen,  py  shimminy !" 

"Oh,  why  don't  yeou  learn  ter  talk  the  American  Ian- 


204  Go  Ahead! 

guage !"  exclaimed  Ephraim  Gallup.  "The  way  yeou 
murder  good  United  States  makes  me  sick,  b'gosh !" 

"You  go  fall  yourseluf  der  earth  off!"  hotly  retorted 
Hans.  "You  peen  too  fresh  alretty  yet !" 

"Break  away!"  laughed  Frank,  interposing  between 
\them.  "Here  comes  Lieutenant  Gordan,  and  you'll  both 
Jfind  yourselves  in  the  guard  tent  if  you're  not  careful." 

The  approach  of  the  lieutenant  caused  the  group  to 
break  up.  Frank  and  Bart  Hodge  strolled  away  to- 
gether. 

"What  makes  you  so  silent  and  downcast,  Bart?"  asked 
Frank.  "You  should  be  in  a  jolly  mood  after  our  vic- 
tory, which,  as  our  first  football  game  this  year,  certainly 
promises  well  for  this  fall." 

"I  was  not  thinking  of  that,"  said  Bart.  "Somehow,  I 
have  a  premonition  of  coming  trouble  for  you,  Frank.  I 
believe  we  are  soon  to  lose  you  here  at  Fardale,  and  that 
is  enough  to  make  me  feel  bad,  for  you  have  been  my 
guiding  star  during  the  past  year.  I  feel  that  I  am  quite 
a  different  fellow  from  what  I  was  when  I  became  a 
cadet  at  this  academy,  and  it  has  come  about  from  your 
generosity,  your  example,  your  influence.  I  was  cor- 
dially disliked  at  first  by  the  fellows  here;  but  now,  as 
your  particular  chum  and  tentmate,  I  have  acquired 
friends  and  some  popularity.  If  anything  should  happen 
to  take  you  away,  I  am  afraid  I'll  drift  back  into  my  old 
habits  and  fall  in  with  my  former  associates." 

"Nonsense,  Bart !  You  are  morbid ;  your  liver  does 
not  act  properly.  You  need  a  tonic.  You  are  not  nat- 
urally a  bad  sort  of  fellow;  in  fact,  you  are  naturally 
square,  upright,  and  honest.  You  despise  meanness,  and 
you  hate  a  sneak.  Why  should  you  take  up  with  crooked 
chums  and  sneaks?  No,  Bart,  I  have  faith  in  you;  you 
will  never  return  to  your  old  associates  and  your  old 
ways." 


Go  Ahead!  205 

Hodge  grasped  Frank's  hand,  a  look  of  intense  grati- 
tude on  his  face. 

"I  won't  forget  those  words,  old  man !"  he  said,  with 
deep  feeling.  "Your  faith  in  me  will  serve  to  keep  me 
straight.  If  I  am  tempted  to  do  a  mean  thing,  I'll  think 
that  you  believed  in  me,  and  that  will  hold  me  in  check. 
I  believe  the  year  we  have  been  together  will  have  a  vast 
influence  on  all  my  future  life.  If  we  could  remain  com- 
panions and  comrades  to  the  end  of  the  regular  Fardale 

"Well,  I  see  no  reason  why  we  cannot.  What  is  there 
liable  to  happen  to  take  me  from  Fardale?" 

"That  I  don't  know,  but  I  have  not  forgotten  the  words 
of  the  old  hermit,  nor  that  dream  you  told  me  you  had 
that  some  one  near  and  dear  to  you  would  soon  die  and 
leave  you  money,  and  that  you  would  travel  the  whole 
world  over.  This  could  not  have  meant  Sailor  Jack,  for 
the  sailor  was  not  near  and  dear  to  you." 

"You  are  conjuring  up  something  from  nothing,  Bart. 
It  cannot  be  that  you  believe  that  dreams  foretell  what  is 
before  another " 

"Yes,  I  do.  I  have  heard  of  many  cases  where  people 
have  dreamed  many  things  that  came  to  be  true,  visions 
that  were  fulfilled  within  a  few  hours." 

"But  there  is  no  reason  why  you  should  think  I  am 
soon  to  leave  Fardale." 

"No  reason,  but  an  inward  warning  of  what  is  to 
come." 

Frank's  merry  laugh  rang  out. 

"I  tell  you  your  liver  is  out  of  order,  Bart.  Take  a 
tonic.  I  am  too  well  satisfied  with  my  life  at  Fardale  to 
want  to  tear  myself  away  very  soon." 

But  these  words  did  not  dispel  the  feeling  that  had 
seized  on  the  dark-faced  lad. 

The  last  days  of  the  summer  encampment  had  arrived; 


206  Go  Ahead! 

before  long  the  white  tents  would  disappear,  and  the 
boys  would  return  to  barracks  and  long  hours  of  study. 
Their  faces  were  browned  by  the  long  weeks  spent  mainly 
in  the  open  air.  They  were  all  erect,  soldierly-appearing 
lads,  the  plebes  bearing  themselves  much  like  the  older 
cadets. 

Frank  had  won  his  chevrons  in  the  first  year,  but,  far 
better,  he  had  won  the  highest  regard  and  esteem  of  his 
companions.  Although  he  loved  sport  and  often  in- 
dulged in  practical  jokes,  he  was  such  a  square,  manly 
fellow  that  nothing  he  did  seemed  to  retard  his  advance- 
ment, and  he  was  respected  by  Lieutenant  Gordan  and 
the  professors  quite  as  much  as  by  his  fellow-cadets. 

When  Frank  and  Bart  separated,  the  latter  strolled  to 
where  he  could  gaze  out  over  the  cove  to  the  open  sea. 
The  air  was  heavy  and  raw,  and  a  moaning  came  from 
far  out  over  the  heavily-rolling  waves,  the  seething  and 
swishing  of  which  he  could  hear.  Tiger  Tooth  Ledge, 
away  in  the  offing,  was  covered  with  a  white  crest,  where 
the  waves  hove  over  it. 

There  was  a  storm  in  the  air;  Bart  could  feel  it  dis- 
tinctly, and  it  seemed  to  make  his  spirits  sink  still  lower. 
There  was  ever  something  about  the  sea  that  depressed 
him,  and  he  turned  away  with  a  shudder. 

That  night,  before  they  retired,  Frank  tried  to  rally 
Bart  again,  but  with  as  little  success  as  before. 

"Hear  the  wind  moan,"  said  Bart,  shrugging  his  shoul- 
ders. "Hear  the  sea  roar.  It  is  going  to  be  a  wild 
night." 

"Well,  everything  is  battened  down  close,  and  the  tent- 
fly  is  drawn  tight.  What  if  the  wind  does  howl  and  the 
rain  come  down?  What  do  we  care?" 

"It  may  be  the  last  night  for  more  than  one  poor 
sailor." 


Go  Ahead!  207 

"That's  true ;  but  we  can't  do  them  any  good  by  getting 
blue  over  it.  Brace  up,  Bart — brace  up !" 

When  taps  sounded  the  rain  had"  begun  to  fall,  and  the 
sea  was  thundering  from  Black  Bluff  and  Tiger  Tooth 
Ledge. 

The  roar  of  the  sea  was  music  in  Frank  Merriwell's 
ears,  and  he  quickly  fell  asleep,  thankful  he  was  not  on 
sentry  duty. 

Bart  found  it  impossible  to  sleep  thus  easily.  For  him 
the  roaring  of  the  sea  was  full  of  terrors.  It  reminded 
him  of  a  ravenous  beast  howling  for  human  flesh  and 
blood  to  appease  its  hunger. 

At  length  he  slept,  but  it  was  to  dream  and  to  seem  to 
hear  above  the  roar  of  the  sea  the  shrieks  of  drowning 
sailors. 

Boom! 

The  sullen  sound,  heard  above  the  roar  of  the  storm, 
heard  through  his  dreams,  awoke  Bart. 

What  was  it?    What  had  he  heard? 

Boom! 

There  it  was  again,  and  it  came  from  out  at  sea. 

It  was  a  signal  gun — the  signal  of  a  ship  in  distress ! 

As  Bart  leaped  out  of  bed,  the  sound  of  a  bugle  and 
roll  of  a  drum  could  be  heard  for  all  of  the  howling 
storm.  It  was  the  signal  for  the  cadets  to  turn  out,  and 
it  brought  Frank  Merriwell  out  of  bed  and  onto  his  feet 
in  a  moment. 

"What's  up,  Bart?"  asked  Frank,  as  he  began  to  hustle 
into  his  clothes. 

"There's  a  vessel  in  distress  outside  the  cove.  She's 
fired  a  signal  once  or  twice." 

"Merry  jingoes !  that's  bad.  The  wind  is  driving 
straight  into  the  cove,  and  Tiger  Tooth  lies  at  the  en- 
trance." 

"Sure.     It's  strange,  but  I  had  a  feeling  last  night 


208  Go  Ahead! 

that  something  of  this  kind  was  going  to  happen,  ai- 
though  I  did  not  speak  of  it.  Now  will  you  say  there  is 
nothing  in  premonitions  ?" 

Frank  did  not  answer  this  question.  He  was  too  much 
in  a  hurry  to  spend  time  in  further  words. 

In  a  very  few  seconds  both  lads  were  dressed,  with  rub- 
ber coats  outside  their  other  clothing,  prepared  for  a 
plunge  into  the  storm.  Although  he  had  been  first  out  of 
bed,  Bart  was  not  first  to  open  the  buttoned  front  of  the 
tent  and  spring  out  into  the  wild  night. 

Lads  were  rushing  out  from  the  other  tents,  ready  to 
form  on  the  parade  ground;  but  the  word  went  round 
that  time  would  not  be  lost  in  such  a  manner.  They  had 
been  called  out  to  render  assistance  to  the  distressed 
vessel  if  possible,  and  it  would  be  folly  to  waste  time  in 
calling  the  roll. 

Away  went  the  boys  toward  the  cove,  beaten  and  buf- 
feted by  the  wind  and  rain,  filled  with  wild  excitement, 
calling  to  each  other,  but  having  their  voices  drowned  in 
the  roar  of  the  storm. 

Boom! 

Again  the  signal  gun  sounded  through  the  night. 

Frank  had  been  looking  seaward,  and  he  saw  the  flash. 

"She  is  right  upon  Tiger  Tooth !"  he  thought.  "In  a 
few  moments,  at  most,  she  will  strike!  God  pity  the 
souls  on  board  of  her!" 

Many  of  the  boys  stopped  when  they  reached  a  locality 
that  commanded  in  the  daytime  a  full  view  of  the  cove 
and  the  open  sea  beyond.  They  stood  there,  straining 
their  eyes  into  the  darkness,  watching  and  waiting. 

Frank  found  Bart  Hodge  was  still  at  his  side. 

"She  is  close  on  Tiger  Tooth !"  he  shouted.  "I  saw  the 
flash  of  her  gun." 

"So  did  I,"  returned  Bart.  "She  will  strike  in  a 
minute." 


Go  Ahead!  209 

"The  life-saving  station  is  two  miles  away.  The  guard 
can't  get  here  in  time." 

"There's  not  much  chance  of  it." 

"See!  There  goes  a  rocket!  She's  close  in  the  foam 
that  is  heaving  over  the  ledge!  Can't  we  do  anything 
for  her?" 

A  number  of  boys  had  gathered  close  around  them, 
and  they  heard  Frank  reply : 

"We  can  try.  There  are  boats  at  the  old  boathouse, 
and  there  is  plenty  of  rope  there." 

"But  we  can't  launch  a  boat  in  the  teeth  of  this  storm !" 
cried  Paul  Rains.  "Such  an  attempt  would  be  mad- 
ness !" 

"Oi  dunno  about  thot,"  Barney  Mulloy  was  heard  to 
declare.  "As  Frankie  said,  we  can  troy." 

"That's  right !"  shouted  Frank  Merriwell ;  "and  we  will 
try!  Away  for  the  boathouse!  Go  ahead!" 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

BOY  LIFE-SAVERS. 

"Go  ahead!" 

The  boys  caught  up  Frank's  cry,  and  above  the  roaring 
of  the  storm  sounded  a  cheer  that  came  from  their  lips. 
Then  away  they  went  toward  the  old  boathouse,  led  by 
Frank. 

The  rain  dashed  upon  them,  the  wind  buffeted  them, 
the  treacherous  ground  sometimes  sent  them  slipping,  but 
they  held  on  after  their  swift-footed,  never-faltering 
leader. 

Somehow,  they  felt  that  Frank  would  be  able  to  do 
something  for  the  imperiled  ones  on  board  the  unfor- 
tunate ship.  They  had  amazing  confidence  in  this  lad 
who  was  leading  them. 

From  out  of  the  fearful  night  of  darkness  and  storm 
came  a  wild  wail,  faint  and  almost  drowned  by  other 
sounds,  but  human  and  horrid  in  its  intense  terror  and 
agony. 

It  was  not  the  shrieking  of  the  storm.  It  held  a  dif- 
ferent note ;  it  seemed  to  come  from  the  throats  of  human 
beings. 

"The  vessel  has  struck !"  shouted  Frank,  without  slack- 
ening his  steps. 

They  felt  that  he  was  right,  and  yet  it  did  not  seem 
possible  that  any  sound  from  the  lips  of  human  beings 
could  be  carried  such  a  distance  through  that  fearful 
night.  It  was  as  if  the  demons  of  the  sea  and  the  storm 
had  shrieked  in  chorus. 


Boy  Life-savers.  211 

The  waves  were  piling  high  along  the  beach,  for  the 
sea  ran  straight  and  fair  into  the  cove.  The  boys  kept  at 
a  distance,  following  Frank,  who  tried  to  urge  them  on 
now  and  then,  although  few  of  his  words  could  be  under- 
stood. 

Before  long 'they  came  to  a  point  where  the  old  boat- 
house  could  be  seen  by  the  light  of  day. 

A  shout  broke  from  the  boys. 

Some  one  was  at  the  boathouse. 

The  door  of  the  house  on  the  side  opposite  that  ex- 
posed to  the  fury  of  the  storm  was  open,  and  it  was  seen 
that  there  was  a  light  in  the  house. 

Glimpses  of  human  beings  were  obtained. 

Outside  the  boathouse  a  lantern  was  moving  about. 

"The  coast  guard  are  there !"  some  one  cried. 

But  Frank  did  not  stop.  His  voice  was  heard  urging 
them  on,  although  his  words  were  not  plainly  under- 
Stood. 

Away  into  the  air  sailed  another  rocket,  and  it  showed 
that  the  doomed  vessel  had  really  struck  and  was  hang- 
ing on  Tiger  Tooth  Ledge. 

She  could  not  last  long,  and  so  what  was  done  for  her 
must  be  done  without  delay. 

Down  to  the  boathouse  ran  the  cadets. 

When  they  arrived  there,  they  were  surprised  to  find 
the  coast  guard  was  not  on  hand. 

Two  fishermen  and  several  farmers  were  there,  and, 
with  praiseworthy  courage,  they  were  laboring  to  launch 
a  boat. 

They  had  prepared  to  carry  off  the  end  of  a  line,  which 
was  to  be  let  out  by  one  who  should  remain  on  shore. 

At  the  same  time  two  men  were  working  to  start  a  bon- 
fire, having  brought  a  pile  of  dry  wood  from  the  boat- 
house.  With  the  aid  of  pine  knots,  they  finally  suc- 
ceeded, and  the  wind  caused  the  fire  to  burn  up  briskly, 


212  Boy  Life-savers. 

for  all  of  the  heavy  rain.  There  was  plenty  of  wood  near 
at  hand,  and  this  was  brought  and  thrown  upon  the  pile 
till  a  roaring  flame  was  flinging  its  light  far  out  on  the 
boiling,  swirling,  seething  waters  of  the  cave. 

By  the  light  of  this  fire  the  men  worked  to  launch  the 
boat,  which  was  plainly  a  herculean  task. 

The  boys  were  ready  enough  to  help,  but  one  of  the 
men  roughly  shouted  for  them  to  get  out  of  the  way. 

"What  do  you  young  cubs  know?"  roared  the  man. 
"Git  out!" 

The  two  fishermen  knew  their  business  well  enough, 
but  the  farmers  were  of  little  use,  although  they  were  re- 
quired to  man  the  boat,  and  they  evidently  thought  they 
would  prove  of  great  value  in  the  work. 

Twice  did  they  attempt  to  turn  the  boat  off  from  the 
shore,  but,  not  working  in  unison,  they  were  stopped  by 
the  fishermen,  who  used  some  decidedly  violent  lan- 
guage. 

In  the  third  attempt  the  boat  was  run  off,  but  the  men 
clambered  in  so  awkwardly  that  it  was  caught  up  by  the 
following  large  wave  and  tossed  far  up  on  the  beach,  be- 
ing overturned. 

The  fisherman  who  had  so  roughly  ordered  the  boys 
away  was  caught  by  the  wave  and  sucked  toward  deep 
water,  struggling  desperately  to  save  himself. 

His  companions  saw  his  peril,  but  they  were  intent  on 
saving  themselves,  or  they  seemed  bewildered  by  the 
manner  in  which  the  water  had  clutched  the  boat  and 
flung  it  ashore. 

The  great  wave  finally  relinquished  its  clutch  on  the 
fisherman,  but  it  left  him  lying  helpless  on  the  wet  sand, 
where  the  next  roller  must  break  over  him  and  complete 
his  destruction. 

Down  the  beach  leaped  Frank  Merriwell,  reaching  the 
fisherman's  side.  The  man  was  trying  to  struggle  to  his 


Boy  Life-savers.  213 

feet,  the  flaring  light  of  the  fire  showing  a  look  of  horror 
on  his  face. 

The  firelight  also  showed  another  wave,  rolling 
brown  and  green  right  upon  them,  with  a  curling  crest  of 
foam  that  made  it  seem  like  some  fearful  monster  with 
wide  open  jaws  and  gleaming  teeth. 

The  fisherman  shrieked  his  terror,  slipped,  and  fell 
prostrate. 

Then,  with  strength  that  astounded  those  who  saw  the 
act,  Frank  caught  the  man  up,  flung  him  over  one  shoul- 
der, and  leaped  up  the  beach. 

But  he  could  not  escape  the  monster  wave  that  was 
hovering  over  him. 

"He's  lost !     They're  both  gone !"  shouted  Paul  Rains. 

"Form  a  line!"  screamed  Bart  Hodge.     "Quick!" 

Without  waiting  to  see  if  the  order  were  obeyed,  he 
ran  straight  down  to  Frank,  whose  outstretched  hand  he 
grasped. 

The  boys  seemed  to  catch  the  idea  in  an  instant.  Bar- 
ney Mulloy  was  at  Bart's  heels,  and  he  grasped  Bart's 
hand.  Rains  was  next,  and  he  caught  Barney  by  the 
hand,  after  whom  came  Ned  Gray,  Harvey  Dare,  Sammy 
Smiles,  Ephraim  Gallup,  Hans  Dunnerwust,  and  Sam 
Winslow. 

This  line  formed  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  and  it  was 
barely  in  time,  for  the  wave  broke  over  Frank  and  the 
man  he  had  risked  his  life  to  save. 

Frank  was  hurled  flat,  but  he  clung  to  the  man,  who 
held  fast  to  him. 

Then  came  the  receding  of  the  wave,  and  the  terrible 
suction  that  threatened  to  break  the  line  and  sweep  some 
of  the  brave  boys  out  to  sea. 

They  clung  fast  with  all  their  strength,  and  the  line  was 
not  broken. 


214  Boy  Life-savers. 

As  soon  as  possible,  Frank  got  upon  his  feet,  helping 
the  fisherman  to  rise. 

"Go  ahead!" 

The  words  came  like  the  blast  of  a  bugle.  They 
seemed  to  give  the  human  life-line  a  united  impulse,  and 
away  up  the  beach  it  went,  dragging  the  fisherman  from 
his  peril  and  saving  his  life. 

He  was  dazed  and  overcome,  but  the  other  fisherman, 
who  had  watched  it  all,  rushed  up  and  shouted : 

"Ye  work  like  old  stagers,  lads !  That  was  one  of  the 
quickest  and  slickest  pieces  of  work  I  ever  saw  done." 

"The  boat!"  shouted  Frank.     "Did  you  save  it?" 

"Yes ;  them  farmers  dragged  it  up  out  of  the  way ;  but 
they're  no  good.  We  can't  do  anything.  She  can't  be 
launched  in  the  face  of  this  sea." 

"She  can  and  shall !"  were  the  words  hurled  from  Mer- 
riwell's  lips. 

"Hurrah !"  shouted  the  boys. 

"Fellow,"  cried  Frank,  "you've  seen  these  men  make  a 
failure.  Are  you  ready  to  try  the  trick  with  me  ?" 

"We  are!" 

"That's  what  I  want  to  hear.  It  will  take  five  of  us  to 
handle  the  boat.  Mulloy,  Rains,  Hodge,  and  Dare  are 
the  ones  I  want.  The  others  must  help  us  get  off  and 
must  pay  the  rope  out  to  us." 

"Ye're  crazy!"  roared  the  fisherman.  "What  do  you 
boys  know  about  launchin'  a  boat  in  the  teeth  of  a  heavy 
sea?" 

"We've  practiced  it  for  sport,  and  now  we're  going  to 
try  to  see  what  we  can  do  in  case  of  an  emergency,"  re- 
turned Frank.  "Come  on,  lads!" 

He  ran  toward  the  spot  where  the  boat  had  been 
dragged,  and  the  cadets  followed  him  closely,  the  blood 
throbbing  through  their  veins,  their  hearts  beating  high 
with  a  noble  and  daring  resolution. 


Boy  Life-savers.  215 

The  men  had  dragged  the  boat  beyond  reach  of  the 
heaving  waves,  and  it  was  plain  they  had  been  so  scared 
by  the  failure  of  the  first  attempt  to  launch  her  that  there 
was  no  intention  of  making  another  trial. 

They  looked  in  wonder  at  the  boys,  and  one  of  them, 
rushed  up  to  Frank,  demanding : 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"Launch  this  boat !     Stand  aside !" 

"Ye  can't  do  it !" 

"Stand  aside!" 

"It's  madness — it  can't  be  done!  We're  not  goin'  to 
see  ye  throw  yer  lives  away !" 

The  cadets  from  the  academy  were  now  flocking  in 
large  numbers  to  the  vicinity,  and  Frank  turned  to  them, 
shouting : 

"Take  this  man  away!" 

The  man  had  clutched  the  boat,  but  he  was  grasped  by 
willing  hands  and  twitched  away  in  a  fashion  that  robbed 
him  of  his  breath. 

"Ready,  lads!"  came  from  Frank's  lips.  "Right  her, 
three  on  that  side,  three  on  this.  I  will  go  in  stern.  Get 
your  places.  Run  her  down  a  little.  The  waves  do  not 
beat  this  far,  and  we  want  every  inch  we  can  have." 

They  obeyed  him  in  everything,  and  the  boat  was  car- 
ried down  till  it  lay  where  the  highest  waves  rushed  up 
and  swished  around  it. 

At  this  moment,  a  small  man  came  bursting  through 
the  throng  of  excited  cadets,  and  hurried  to  the  side  of 
Frank  Merriwell,  whose  arm  he  clutched,  hoarsely  cry- 
ing: 

"What  are  you  thinking  of,  Merriwell?  It  would  be 
a  sacrifice  of  you  all !  You  could  not  escape  being 
drowned !  I  forbid  you  to  make  the  mad  attempt !" 

"Stand  back,  Professor  Scotch !"  shouted  Frank.  "The 
lives  of  human  beings  on  board  that  vessel  are  in  peril ! 


216  Boy  Life-savers. 

I  believe  we  can  launch  this  boat  for  all  the  wind  and 
waves,  and  we  are  going  to  attempt  it !" 

"But  I  have  authority  over  you,  and  I  command  you  to 
desist." 

"In  a  case  like  this  we  do  not  recognize  your  authority. 
Look  out,  professor — here  comes  a  big  wave,  and  it  may 
suck  you  down." 

With  ludicrous  agility,  the  little  professor  fled  toward 
a  place  of  safety. 

"Stand  ready !"  rang  out  Frank  Merriwell's  voice. 

Every  oar  was  in  its  place,  ready  for  the  hands  of  the 
lad  who  was  to  wield  it. 

On  came  the  great  wave,  curling  over,  breaking,  run- 
ning far  up  the  beach  on  all  sides  of  the  six  lads  about 
the  boat. 

"Now !"  shouted  Frank.    "Go  ahead !" 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

'GAINST    WIND    AND    WAVE. 

As  the  wave  receded  they  ran  with  it,  bearing  the  boat 
between  them  till  they  were  in  deep  water. 

"In  boys !" 

As  if  controlled  by  one  impulse  and  one  set  of  muscles, 
they  leaped  into  the  boat,  to  the  stern  of  which  the  light 
line  had  been  attached.  Frank  took  his  place  at  the  helm. 

"Out  oars !" 

Into  the  rowlocks  dropped  the  oars. 

"Pull  away !" 

With  all  the  strength  of  their  muscular  young  arms 
and  bodies,  they  bent  to  the  oars,  sending  the  boat  to  meet 
the  next  great  wave,  which  was  bearing  down  upon  them, 
revealed  by  the  light  of  the  fire. 

Every  one  of  them  knew  it  was  sure  to  be  a  fierce 
battle,  and  they  were  prepared  to  strain  every  nerve. 
Thus  far  they  had  been  wonderfully  successful,  and  they 
might  be  able  to  reach  the  vessel  if  they  could  keep  the 
next  great  roller  from  flinging  them  far  up  on  the  wave- 
washed  beach. 

Frank's  hands  on  the  helm  held  the  bow  of  the  boat 
straight  on  against  wind  and  waves,  and  his  voice  rang 
through  the  storm  as  the  great  comber  with  its  curling 
crest  of  green,  topped  with  foam,  lunged  upon  them. 

"Pull  hard!" 

They  laid  to  the  oars  with  all  the  power  they  could 
command. 

The  boat  was  caught  up  like  a  cork,  and  for  a  moment 


2i8  'Gainst  Wind  and  Wave. 

it  was  carried  swiftly  shoreward,  for  all  of  the  heroic 
struggles  made  by  the  young  life-savers. 

Then  came  a  moment  when  they  held  their  own. 

"Go  ahead !" 

Forward  leaped  the  boat,  and  away  they  drove  into  the 
teeth  of  the  hurricane,  ready  to  meet  the  next  wave  and 
renew  the  battle. 

They  were  determined,  they  had  resolved  to  perish  in 
the  struggle,  if  need  be,  but  to  give  up,  never ! 

For  several  minutes  they  fought  hard  to  get  off  from 
the  shore,  so  the  danger  of  being  hurled  upon  the  beach 
would  be  over,  and  the  boat  seemed  to  creep  like  a  snail 
up  against  the  wind,  losing  ground  with  each  great  wave, 
but  recovering  and  gaining  a  little  more  before  the  next 
one  came. 

The  sea  seemed  to  boil  and  foam  like  a  pot,  and  the 
wind  tore  off  the  caps  of  the  waves  and  flung  great  sheets 
of  spray  clean  over  the  boat. 

For  all  of  their  storm  garments,  the  boys  were  soon 
wet  to  the  bone ;  but  they  did  not  heed  that  at  all — they 
did  not  know  it.  The  desperate  struggle  they  were  mak- 
ing kept  the  blood  coursing  freely  in  their  veins  and  pre- 
vented them  from  being  cold. 

But  for  Frank's  iron  hand  on  the  tiller,  but  for  his 
readiness  in  meeting  the  shock  of  some  gigantic  wave 
that  sought  to  hurl  them  sidelong,  but  for  his  encourag- 
ing cries,  they  must  have  been  capsized  a  dozen  times  be- 
fore they  had  rowed  as  many  rods  from  the  boathouse. 

Somehow,  Merriwell  gave  them  confidence  in  them- 
selves, such  as  they  could  not  have  felt  if  some  one  else 
had  been  at  the  helm. 

The  wind  that  shrieked  down  across  the  raging  sea 
made  the  water  swirl  and  hiss  like  ten  thousand  serpents. 
It  seemed  as  if  all  the  fiends  of  darkness  and  of  the  sea 


'Gainst  Wind  and  Wave.  219 

were  aroused  to  ungovernable  fury,  and  were  seeking  the 
destruction  of  everything  they  could  reach. 

Afar  out  on  Tiger  Tooth  Ledge  lay  the  doomed  vessel, 
and  now  a  bright  light  told  where  she  was  beating  her- 
self to  destruction  on  the  reef.  That  light  served  as  a 
beacon  for  Frank. 

On  shore  the  awed  and  admiring  cadets  watched  the 
brave  and  desperate  struggle  of  the  six  young  life-savers, 
expecting  each  moment  to  see  the  boat  capsized. 

A  score  of  times  great  waves  seemed  to  sweep  clean 
over  the  boat  and  swamp  it.  Each  time  a  universal  groan 
came  from  the  excited,  palpitating  lads  being  carried 
away  in  the  clutch  of  the  wind,  which  howled  in  fiendish 
glee. 

Each  time  the  baffled  wave  tore  on,  and  the  boat  fought 
through  it,  with  the  six  lads  still  stubbornly  continuing 
the  battle.  Each  time  a  wild  cheer  went  up  from  the 
watching  crowd  on  shore,  but  the  sound  of  this  cheering 
did  not  reach  Merriwell  and  his  comrades. 

In  case  the  boat  should  upset,  the  cadets  were  prepared 
to  form  a  human  life-line,  which  should  plunge  into  the 
surf  and  do  its  best  in  the  work  of  rescuing. 

One  of  the  old  fishermen  was  paying  out  the  cord,  and 
fifty  times  he  muttered  to  himself : 

"They  may  do  it !     It's  remarkable,  blowed  if  it  ain't !" 

Further  and  further  from  shore  crept  the  boat,  till  at 
length  the  light  of  the  fire  on  the  beach  scarcely  reached 
far  enough  to  show  the  black  hulk  tossed  on  the  waters. 

Finally  the  boat  passed  from  sight,  and  was  swallowed 
in  the  blackness  of  the  storm-swept  cove. 

Many  of  those  on  shore  wondered  if  they  should  ever 
again  look  on  the  living  faces  of  the  six  brave  boys  who 
had  gone  to  the  rescue  of  those  on  the  imperiled  vessel. 

The  lads  in  the  boat  had  begun  to  fear  that  they  would 


220  'Gainst  Wind  and  Wave. 

fail  for  all  of  their  success  at  the  outset,  for  strength  and 
energy  seemed  going  from  them. 

Being  determined  to  hold  out  as  long  as  possible,  they 
kept  at  the  work,  although  it  seemed  that  they  did  not 
gain  an  inch  for  a  long  time. 

Then  came  their  "second  wind,"  and,  with  renewed 
energy  and  determination,  they  bent  to  the  task. 

The  light  on  the  vessel  guided  them.  No  longer  did 
the  signal  gun  boom  its  appeal  for  aid  over  the  wind- 
swept billows,  although  a  rocket  went  up  now  and  then. 

Frank  feared  the  vessel  would  be  beaten  to  pieces  on 
the  ledge  long  before  she  could  be  reached.  That  she  had 
lasted  so  long  was  surprising  to  him,  and  he  continued  to 
hope  for  the  best. 

He  well  understood  how  difficult  it  must  be  for  a  boat 
to  approach  her  as  she  lay  on  the  ledge,  but  he  hoped  to 
creep  in  on  the  leeward  side,  where  the  vessel  and  the 
ledge  would  break  both  waves  and  wind. 

The  light  on  the  vessel  came  from  a  strong  reflector, 
and  it  was  flung  toward  the  shore. 

The  boys  well  knew  how  the  imperiled  ones  on  board 
were  staring  into  the  track  of  that  light,  waiting  and 
longing  for  the  appearance  of  the  boat,  which  they  must 
have  seen  put  off  from  the  shore,  as  revealed  by  the  glare 
of  the  bonfire. 

At  length  they  came  into  the  track  of  light  made  by  the 
reflector,  and  along  this  they  battled  inch  by  inch. 

Sometimes  they  fancied  they  could  hear  faint  cries  from 
the  vessel,  but  they  could  not  be  sure  it  was  not  the 
shrieking  of  the  wind. 

In  a  momentary  cessation  of  the  wind,  Frank  shouted : 

"We're  bound  to  get  there,  boys!  Strong  and  steady 
now,  and  we'll  make  her  soon." 

Nearer  and  nearer  they  crept,  the  light  shining  out 


'Gainst  Wind  and  Wave.  221 

about  them,  while  the  thunder  of  the  waves  that  were 
bursting  over  the  ledge  was  deafening. 

As  they  drew  nearer  into  the  lee  of  the  ledge,  Frank 
could  see  a  most  appalling  spectacle.  The  great  waves 
from  the  open  sea  were  breaking  madly  over  Tiger  Tooth, 
shooting  mountains  of  foaming  water  upward  toward  the 
frowning  blackness  of  the  heavens,  out  of  which  the  rain 
seemed  wrested  and  torn  in  sheets  by  the  savage  wind. 

The  vessel  had  been  hurled  far  up  on  the  ledge,  and 
there  she  clung,  for  all  of  the  waves  which  were  running 
over  her,  for  all  that  the  ledge  flung  foaming  water 
higher  than  her  masthead. 

Getting  into  the  lee  of  the  ledge,  the  boys  were  able  to 
make  better  headway. 

The  vessel  broke  the  fury  of  the  wind  in  a  measure, 
and  Frank  held  steadily  up  to  leeward,  wondering  how 
near  they  could  approach. 

It  did  not  take  him  long  to  see  that  the  vessel  was  fixed 
on  the  crest  of  the  ledge,  and  that  she  was  liable  to  be 
flung  clean  over  by  the  wind  and  waves,  if  she  did  not 
break  in  two. 

The  waves  on  that  side  of  the  ledge  were  not  of  a  dan- 
gerous sort,  but  the  sea  was  swirling  round  and  round, 
sometimes  rushing  inward  to  the  ledge,  and  Frank  saw 
there  was  danger  of  being  flung  up  against  the  vessel, 
and  so  having  the  boat  smashed  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye. 

This  danger  he  succeeded  in  making  the  others  under- 
stand, and  he  directed  them  to  work  slowly,  ready  to  send 
the  boat  ahead  when  he  should  give  the  signal. 

The  light  of  the  reflector  showed  sailors  who  were 
ready  with  boathooks  and  grapples  to  fasten  upon  the 
boat  when  it  came  near  enough. 


222  'Gainst  Wind  and  Wave. 

Frank  watched  his  time,  and  when  it  came,  his  war- 
cry  rang  out  once  more : 

"Go  ahead !" 

They  sent  the  boat  in  against  the  swirling  water,  so  it 
was  not  hurled  upon  the  vessel,  and  Frank  brought  it 
near  enough  to  the  vessel  for  the  grapples  and  boathooks 
to  seize  it. 

"In  oars !" 

In  they  came,  and  up  the  rope  ladders  skipped  the  lads, 
like  so  many  monkeys,  Frank  bearing  the  end  of  the  line 
which  connected  them  with  the  shore. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE     DOOMED     SCHOONER. 

Hodge  brought  up  the  painter  from  the  boat. 

The  scene  on  the  deck  of  the  doomed  vessel  was  inde- 
scribable. Every  one  but  the  captain  seemed  frantic  with 
fear,  and  they  acted  like  madmen. 

The  vessel  was  a  three-masted  schooner,  being  com- 
paratively new,  which  accounted  for  the  remarkable  man- 
ner in  which  she  had  withstood  the  tempest  and  the  shock 
of  being  driven  on  the  ledge.  She  was  rolling  heavily, 
and  seemed  to  be  slipping  inch  by  inch  over  the  ledge. 

The  captain's  wife  and  daughter  were  lashed  to  the 
mainmast,  which  was  a  magnificent  stick,  and  stood  like 
a  well-rooted  tree,  although  the  fierce  blasts  made  it  bend 
and  sway. 

One  of  her  masts  was  gone,  while  reefed  canvas  had 
been  blown  away  by  the  terrible  gale. 

The  captain  met  the  lads  as  they  clambered  to  the  deck. 

"Have  you  brought  a  line  from  shore  ?" 

"Yes,  sir;  here  it  is." 

In  a  moment  the  captain  had  the  line,  and  he  quickly 
made  it  fast,  so  that  it  should  not  be  torn  from  the  hands 
that  held  it. 

"Isn't  she  liable  to  break  in  two,  captain?"  Frank 
shouted,  keeping  close  to  the  old  skipper. 

"There's  more  danger  that  she  will  roll  clean  over  the 
ledge  into  deep  water  beyond.  She'll  go  down  like  a  rock 
if  she  does." 

"Who  are  the  women  ?" 


224  The  Doomed  Schooner. 

"My  wife  and  daughter." 

"Take  no  chances;  get  them  into  the  boat,  with  five 
good  men  at  the  oars.  We  brought  that  boat  out  here, 
and  sailors  should  be  able  to  take  it  back." 

"What  of  you?" 

"We'll  find  a  way  of  getting  ashore  by  means  of  the 
life  line." 

It  was  no  time  for  hesitation,  as  the  captain  welt  knew ; 
every  moment  was  precious — each  moment  wasted  might 
mean  the  loss  of  a  human  life. 

With  a  ready  knife,  the  captain  set  about  cutting  the 
woman  and  girl  free  from  the  lashings. 

Just  then  a  mighty  wave  burst  over  the  schooner,  lifted 
her,  dropped  her  with  a  terrible  shock  on  the  ledge,  and 
the  waters  sunk  away  till  she  careened  far  over. 

"She's  going  over!"  shrieked  the  terrified  sailors. 
"We're  lost— lost !" 

Some  yelled  and  some  prayed,  while  the  wind  howled 
and  laughed  like  a  thousand  gloating  demons. 

Above  all  other  sounds,  now  rang  the  voice  of  a  young 
sailor : 

"She's  breaking  up !    To  the  boat ! — to  the  boat !" 

Frank  understood  what  this  meant,  and  he  sprang  to 
stop  the  desperate  men,  shouting  to  the  boys : 

"Here,  lads !     Stand  in — stand  in !" 

"We're  wid  yez,  me  b'y !"  cried  Barney  Mulloy. 

"Yes,  with  you  to  the  death !"  rang  the  voice  of  Bart 
Hodge. 

They  intercepted  the  sailors  who  would  have  leaped 
into  the  boat  and  put  off. 

"Back!"  ordered  Frank,  with  up-flung  hand.  "The 
captain's  wife  and  daughter  are  first  to  enter  the  boat !" 

"Get  out!"  snarled  the  young  sailor,  who  was  loading 
)he  rush.  "Get  away,  or  we'll  throw  you  overboard !" 


The  Doomed  Schooner.  225 

His  eyes  were  blazing,  and  down  his  left  cheek  Frank 
saw  a  livid  scar. 

This  fellow  flung  himself  straight  forward,  but  Merri- 
well  blocked  the  way. 

With  all  the  strength  of  a  muscular  arm,  Frank  drove 
I  his  hard  right  fist  into  the  face  of  the  young  sailor,  and 
the  fellow  was  sent  to  the  deck  in  a  moment.  He  struck 
heavily,  and  did  not  offer  to  rise. 

But  that  did  not  stop  the  rush  of  the  sailors,  who  were 
frantic  with  fear. 

Hodge  and  Mulloy  had  secured  belaying  pins,  and, 
with  these,  they  fought  the  sailors  back,  sending  more 
than  one  of  the  men  reeling  with  bruised  heads. 

In  the  meantime  the  captain  was  doing  his  best  to  get 
his  wife  and  daughter  safely  into  the  boat,  which  was  no 
easy  task,  as  may  be  readily  understood.  It  had  seemed 
that  the  rush  of  the  sailors  would  be  successful,  and,  not 
wishing  to  free  the  females  of  the  lashings  in  such  a 
case,  he  had  hesitated. 

He  saw  Frank  knock  the  leader  down  with  a  single 
powerful  blow,  and  then  he  saw  the  other  lads  beat  the 
men  back  with  the  aid  of  the  belaying  pins. 

But  this  respite  was  for  no  more  than  a  few  moments  at 
most.  He  understood  that  the  men  would  make  another 
rush,  and  he  hastened  to  free  his  wife. 

Then  a  cry  of  despair  went  up: 

"The  boat — the  boat  has  been  smashed  against  the 
vessel !" 

This  was  true. 

The  swirling  sea  had  swept  round  the  ledge  and  flung 
the  boat  against  the  schooner  with  sufficient  force  to  crash 
in  one  side,  and  she  quickly  filled  with  water,  floating  a 
useless  thing  near  at  hand. 

The  moment  the  captain  realized  what  had  happened. 


226  The  Doomed  Schooner. 

he  set  about  lashing  his  wife  to  the  mast  once  more,  speak- 
ing to  her  encouragingly. 

When  the  sailors  realized  what  had  happened,  they  be- 
came strangely  calm. 

"The  only  hope  now  lies  in  the  life-line!"  shouted 
Frank. 

The  captain  was  quickly  on  hand,  and,  as  he  reached 
Frank's  side,  he  said : 

"I  will  look  after  the  drawing  in  of  the  line.  Will  you 
be  good  enough  to  cheer  up  my  wife  and  daughter?" 

"Certainly,  sir." 

As  Frank  turned  toward  the  mast  to  which  the  females 
were  lashed,  the  young  sailor  he  had  knocked  down  sat  up 
on  the  wave-washed  deck.  The  fellow's  eyes  found 
Frank,  and  he  screamed : 

"I'll  make  you  pay  dearly  for  that  blow !" 

Merriwell  did  not  heed  the  man.  As  soon  as  possible 
he  reached  the  woman  and  girl,  and  did  his  best  to  cheer 
them  up. 

The  woman  seemed  in  a  stupor,  but  the  girl's  senses 
were  active,  and  she  quickly  asked : 

"Is  there  any  hope?  Tell  me  the  truth.  I  can  stand 
it,  and  I  had  rather  know  the  truth  than  be  deceived." 

Her  golden  hair  was  soaked  with  rain  and  sea-water, 
and  driven  about  her  face  and  shoulders,  but  Frank  saw 
that  she  was  pretty,  and  there  was  a  brave  look  in  her 
eyes — a  brave  ring  in  her  voice. 

"Certainly  there  is  hope/'  he  replied.  "We  brought  a 
line  from  the  shore,  and  the  men  are  drawing  it  in.  It 
it  attached  to  a  heavy  rope  that  will  bear  almost  any 
strain." 

"What  can  be  done  when  the  rope  is  drawn  aboard  ?" 

"Some  kind  of  a  life-car  will  be  rigged  up.  It  is  pos- 
sible your  father  has  a  breeches  buoy  on  board." 

"Isn't  there  a  life-saving  station  near?" 


The  Doomed  Schooner.  227 

"It  is  two  miles  away ;  but  the  coast  guard  should  have 
reached  this  locality  by  this  time." 

"They  would  bring  a  life-car." 

"Or  a  breeches  buoy — yes." 

"But  the  schooner  may  go  to  pieces  before  it  can  be 
worked." 

"She  is  standing  it  well  now,"  replied  Frank,  clinging 
to  the  lashings  which  held  the  girl,  as  a  great  wave  came 
down  upon  them. 

He  seemed  to  see  the  girl's  eyes  turned  in  admiration 
upon  him,  and  she  spoke  so  coolly  that  he  wondered  at 
her  bravery. 

"I  saw  you  knock  Carlos  Merriwell  down,"  she  said. 
"That  was  magnificently  done !" 

"Saw  me  knock  down  whom?"  shouted  Frank,  in  as- 
tonishment. 

"Carlos  Merriwell." 

"Is  that  fellow's  name  Merriwell?" 

"So  he  is  called." 

"Merriwell  is  my  own  name,  and  I  do  not  know  of  ft 
family,  save  my  own,  by  that  name." 

"He  may  be  a  relative  of  yours." 

"Impossible !" 

At  this  moment  a  great  cry  of  despair  went  up  from  the 
sailors  who  had  been  drawing  in  the  rope. 

"The  line  has  parted!    We  are  lost!    We  are  lost!" 


CHAPTER  XL. 

THE    COAST    GUARD. 

The  men  rushed  wildly  about  the  deck,  shrieking, 
moaning  and  praying.  The  schooner's  boats  had  been 
carried  away  long  before  she  struck  on  Tiger  Tooth 
Ledge,  and  now  there  seemed  no  hope  that  a  single  soul 
on  board  would  ever  reach  shore  alive.  The  wind  howled 
joyously,  and  the  great  waves  hurled  themselves  over  the 
vessel,  causing  her  to  roll  and  lurch.  One  miserable 
wretch  was  caught  in  the  clutch  of  a  great  wave  and 
swept  away,  his  death  shriek  sounding  above  the  howling 
of  the  tempest. 

Many  of  the  sailors  seemed  to  have  gone  mad.  One 
man  with  a  strong  voice  took  to  singing  a  wild  sea  song, 
stopping  now  and  then  to  laugh  and  wave  his  long  arms 
above  his  head.  Another  tore  his  hair  and  swore  in  a 
terrible  manner.  Some  seemed  dazed  and  stupid,  as  if 
they  did  not  realize  their  position,  or  were  utterly  over- 
come by  the  horror  of  it. 

Wildest  among  them  was  the  young  sailor  with  the 
scarred  face.  He  rushed  at  the  captain  and  struck  him 
in  the  face,  screaming  in  his  ear : 

"You  put  me  in  the  hold  for  disobeying  orders,  and  I 
could  do  nothing !  Now  we  are  all  doomed  to  death,  and 
I  will  even  my  score  with  you!  Take  that! — that! — 
that !" 

The  fourth  blow  knocked  the  captain  down,  and  then 
the  sailor  kicked  him.  The  captain  squirmed  away,  and 
the  ruffian  followed  him  up  to  kick  him  again. 


The  Coast  Guard.  229 

But  the  captain's  daughter  had  witnessed  the  assault 
on  her  father,  and  she  cried  to  Frank : 

"Save  him !  save  him !" 

It  seemed  that  the  crazed  young  ruffian  intended  to 
stamp  the  life  out  of  the  master,  but  he  was  not  allowed 
to  accomplish  his  purpose.  Once  before  had  he  felt 
Frank  Merriwell's  fist,  and  now  he  felt  it  again. 

The  blow  fell  fairly  behind  the  brute's  right  ear,  and 
again  he  was  knocked  down. 

He  sat  up  to  see  Frank  assisting  the  captain  to  his  feet, 
and  then  all  hands  hastened  to  clutch  something  and  cling 
fast,  as  another  monster  sea  swept  over  the  schooner. 

Frank  half-dragged,  half-led  the  captain  to  a  position 
near  his  wife  and  daughter.  The  man  seemed  to  have 
been  severely  injured. 

"Are  you  hurt  much  ?"  asked  Frank. 

The  captain  replied,  but  the  howling  of  the  storm 
drowned  his  words.  He  did  not  have  much  strength,  as 
Frank  plainly  saw.  It  was  evident  that  he,  too,  had  lost 
heart  when  the  line  parted. 

Frank  found  a  line,  which  he  quickly  bound  about  the 
man's  body,  securing  it  to  the  mast. 

The  boys  now  gathered  around  their  leader,  and  it  was 
plain  that  most  of  them  felt  that  their  case  was  hopeless. 

"We're  done  for,  old  man !"  cried  Bart  Hodge.  "It's 
wonderful  how  long  the  schooner  has  stood  this  sort  of 
wrenching.  She  will  go  to  pieces  soon." 

"Perhaps  she  may  hold  together  long  enough  for  them 
to  get  another  boat  off  to  us.  By  this  time  they  must 
have  discovered  that  the  line  has  parted." 

"There  is  no  other  boat  that  can  ride  this  sea,  if  there 
were  men  to  handle  one." 

"The  life  savers  should  be  on  hand  by  this  time.  If 
the  vessel  holds  together  long  enough,  they  will  find  a. 
way  of  reaching  us." 


230  The  Coast  Guard. 

"The  chances  are  against  it." 

"Don't  give  up  the  ship!"  cried  Frank,  quoting  the 
words  of  Commodore  Perry.  "While  there's  life  there's 
hope !" 

The  boys  fell  to  watching  the  light  of  the  fire  near  the 
old  boathouse,  which  could  be  seen  through  the  driving 
clouds  of  spray. 

i     "You   are  so  brave — so   noble!"   cried  the  captain's 
'daughter,  whose  eyes  were  fastened  steadily  on  Frank. 
"Is  my  poor  father  hurt  much  ?" 

"He  seems  to  be  stunned  and  dazed,  but  I  think  that  is 
all,"  was  the  reply. 

Frank  had  to  cling  close  to  her  in  order  to  hear  her 
words.  Although  she  was  lashed  to  the  mast,  her  arms 
were  free,  and  he  suddenly  found  them  about  his  neck. 
A  moment  later  she  kissed  him. 

"That  is  for  poor  father,"  she  declared.  "You  saved 
him  from  that  ruffian !" 

Somehow,  considering  the  circumstances,  the  action  did 
not  seem  so  unladylike.  It  was  the  impulsive  action  of 
a  young  girl  who  saw  in  Frank  the  embodiment  of  all 
that  was  noble  and  heroic.  The  storm,  the  peril,  the 
seeming  hopelessness  of  their  position  had  much  to  do 
with  her  action. 

Still  Frank  was  not  a  little  confused,  but  she  clung  to 
him  as  he  started  back. 

"Don't  leave  me !"  she  implored.  "Somehow,  it  seems 
that  you  give  me  courage  for  anything — courage  to  face 
death  itself.  Don't  leave  me,  will  you  ?" 

"No." 

"Tell  me  your  name." 

"Frank  Merriwell." 

"Mine  is  Elsie  Bellwood." 

For  all  of  hie  perilous  situation,  Frank  thought  that  it 
was  a  pretty  name. 


The  Coast  Guard.  231 

There  was  a  brief  space  of  time,  during  which  no  words 
were  exchanged.  The  wild  sea  thundered  at  the  ledge 
and  tore  past  in  sheets  of  spray. 

Frank  was  staring  toward  the  shore,  and  a  cry  finally 
broke  from  his  lips : 

"The  coast  guard — they  are  there !" 

That  was  enough  to  give  new  life  and  hope  to  those  on 
board  the  doomed  schooner.  In  the  light  of  the  fire  fig- 
ures were  moving  about  There  was  great  activity  on 
shore.  Something  was  going  to  happen. 

"It  must  be  the  coast  guard!"  shouted  Paul  Rains. 
"Oh,  if  this  old  vessel  will  hold  together  a  short  time 
longer !" 

"Are  they  putting  off  in  a  boat?" 

"I  can't  see ;  but  they  are  doing  something." 

Now  new  hope  and  life  came  to  the  despairing  sailors, 
who  clung  to  anything  solid,  in  order  to  keep  themselves 
from  being  swept  away  into  the  sea.  If  the  coast  guard 
had  arrived,  there  was  a  possible  chance  for  some  of  them 
— perhaps  for  all  on  board  the  schooner. 

Every  eye  was  turned  toward  the  shore. 

A  cry  went  up — a  cry  from  every  throat  on  the 
schooner. 

A  red  flash  had  been  seen,  and,  although  they  heard  no 
report,  they  knew  a  gun  had  been  fired. 

What  did  it  mean  ? 

They  found  out  a  few  seconds  later,  for  something 
passed  over  the  schooner  and  fell  on  the  windward  side. 

Frank  Merriwell  released  the  hands  that  clung  to  him, 
leaped  forward,  and  caught  up  something. 

"It's  a  line!"  he  shouted.  "They  have  shot  a  life- 
line across  to  us !" 

It  was  true.  The  first  shot  had  been  amazingly  suc- 
cessful, considering  the  terrible  wind  and  the  darkness. 

The  sailors  had  been  in  despair  a  few  seconds  before. 


232  The  Coast  Guard. 

Now  they  cheered,  and  sprang  to  grasp  the  life-line  and 
draw  in  on  it  . 

"Steady!"  called  Frank,  clearly  and  distinctly.  "Re- 
member the  other  line  parted.  If  such  a  thing  happens 
to  this,  it  is  not  likely  we  will  be  given  a  third  oppor- 
tunity before  the  schooner  breaks  up.  Get  hold  and  pull 
'  in  steadily.  Now,  haul  away !" 

The  greatest  danger  was  from  over-eagerness,  and  this 
Frank  cautioned  them  against.  At  that  moment  it  seemed 
as  if  he  were  in  command  of  the  schooner.  So  far  as  the 
real  captain  was  concerned,  he  might  as  well  have  been. 
The  man  had  not  recovered  from  the  brutal  assault  upon 
him,  and  he  looked  on  in  a  stupid  way,  without  saying 
or  doing  anything. 

Some  of  the  boys  would  have  given  their  aid  on  the 
line,  but  Frank  kept  them  away. 

"Don't  touch  it,  lads,"  was  his  order.  "You  are  not 
sailors,  and  these  men  know  far  better  how  to  handle  a 
case  like  this." 

He  was  right.  In  due  time  the  heavy  cable  was  drawn 
in  and  made  fast  under  the  directions  of  the  first  mate. 
When  this  was  accomplished,  the  sailors  set  to  pulling  in 
on  the  free  line,  and  it  was  not  long  before  a  breeches 
buoy  was  drawn  from  the  shore  to  the  schooner.  Again 
the  sailors  cheered,  and  Frank  was  heard  to  cry : 

"The  captain's  wife  first,  men ;  then  comes  the  captain's 
daughter.  Be  cool  and  steady,  and  every  soul  may  es- 
cape." 


CHAPTER  XU. 

THE    WORK    OF    RESCUE. 

Now  that  but  one  could  escape  at  a  time,  no  man  led 
a  rush  for  the  breeches  buoy.  Had  any  one  sought  to 
crowd  in,  he  would  have  been  hurled  to  the  deck  with 
very  little  ceremony  by  the  very  sailors  who  had  made 
the  mad  scramble  for  the  boat. 

Ready  hands  assisted  Frank  in  freeing  the  captain's 
wife  and  assisting  her  to  the  breeches  buoy. 

The  woman  did  not  wish  to  leave  her  daughter  and  her 
injured  husband,  but  the  strong  arms  of  Frank  lifted  her 
and  carried  her  to  the  rail,  where  he  was  aided  by  the  first 
mate  in  placing  her  securely  in  the  breeches  buoy. 

The  mate  spoke  a  few  hasty  words  of  instruction  to  the 
distracted  woman,  and  then  the  signal  was  given  for  those 
on  shore  to  haul  away. 

Away  into  the  darkness,  into  the  very  sea  it  seemed, 
slipped  the  breeches  buoy  and  its  human  burden.  The 
line  ran  out  rapidly  from  the  schooner,  telling  what  prog- 
ress the  buoy  was  making. 

There  was  no  longer  frantic  excitement  on  board  the 
vessel.  The  sailors  had  grown  calm,  and  they  obeyed 
orders  promptly  and  faithfully.  It  was  a  most  remark- 
able change  from  the  prevailing  condition  of  things  a 
short  time  before. 

The  storm  seemed  to  have  abated  somewhat  in  its  fury, 
as  if,  feeling  itself  baffled,  it  had  grown  sullen.  Heavy 
waves  continued  to  break  on  the  ledge,  and  send  clouds  of 
spray  across  the  schooner,  but  the  vessel  seemed  to  be 


234  The  Work  of  Rescue. 

pounding  with  reduced  force,  and  the  hope  that  she  might 
hold  together  long  enough  for  all  to  escape  grew  apace. 

The  free  line  soon  ran  out,  and  then  came  the  signal 
from  the  beach  that  the  captain's  wife  had  arrived  safely, 
and  the  sailors  began  drawing  in  the  breeches  buoy. 

Frank  hastened  to  the  side  of  the  captain's  daughter. 

"Your  mother  has  reached  the  shore  in  safety,"  he  said. 
"You  are  to  follow  her." 

"No,  no !  my  father — send  my  poor  father !" 

"But " 

"He  is  injured — can't  you  see?  Perhaps  there  is  a  doc- 
tor on  the  shore  who  may  be  able  to  do  something  for 
him." 

"I  am  sure  he  would  not  wish  to  go  until  you  are  safe." 

"And  I  will  not  go  until  he  has  gone!  Don't  touch 
tne !  I  tell  you  I  will  not  go !" 

"But  the  schooner  may  not  hold  together  long  enough 
for " 

"In  that  case  it  were  better  for  me  to  be  lost  than  for 
my  father  and  mother  to  be  parted.  Send  him  ashore—- 
please do!" 

"Are  you  sure  that  you  realize " 

"I  am  sure  that  I  refuse  to  go  till  father  has  been  sent 
ashore.  That's  all." 

Frank  saw  she  was  determined,  for  she  almost  fought 
him  when  he  tried  to  release  the  lashings  that  held  her  to 
the  mast.  No  time  was  to  be  lost,  and  so  he  turned  to 
Captain  Bellwood.  The  man  said  nothing,  allowing 
Frank  to  assist  him  to  the  side  of  the  vessel,  which  was 
reached  just  as  the  breeches  buoy  arrived. 

A  sudden  cry  rang  out,  and  the  young  sailor  with  the 
scarred  face  lunged  toward  the  rail. 

"What's  the  meaning  of  this?"  he  snarled.  "Is  that 
old  whelp  to  go  before  the  rest  of  us  ?  Throw  him  over- 
board, mates !" 


The  Work  of  Rescue.  235 

Frank  placed  himself  in  a  position  to  defend  the  cap- 
tain, at  the  same  time  appealing  to  the  sailors. 

"Keep  that  man  off,  men !  He  has  nearly  killed  Cap- 
tain Bellwood,  and  now  he  would  finish  the  work.  We 
are  all  of  us  going  to  escape  in  our  turn,  and  you  want  no 
hand  in  any  dirty  work  performed  by  this  creature.  Let 
him  suffer  alone,  while  you  are  praised  and  honored  for 
protecting  your  captain." 

A  cry  of  fury  broke  from  the  young  sailor's  lips,  and 
he  would  have  hurled  himself  at  Frank  once  more,  but  a 
dark-faced  Italian  whipped  out  a  knife  and  blocked  the 
way,  shrilly  crying: 

"Stand-a  back,  Car-r-r-los !  No  touch-a  de  cap.  You 
try-a  dat,  I  give-a  you  dis!  I  no  want-a  go  in  da  jail-a, 
all  same  like-a  you.  I  touch-a  da  cap'  on  one  ves',  stay 
in  da  jail-a  two  year.  Stand-a  back !" 

The  scar-faced  sailor  started  back  before  the  knife 
which  quivered  in  the  hand  of  the  excited  Italian. 

"You  dirty  dago !"  he  snarled. 

The  Italian  crouched  as  if  he  were  about  to  leap  on  the 
fellow  and  use  the  ready  knife.  For  an  instant  it  looked 
as  if  a  bloody  tragedy  might  be  enacted  there,  but  the 
Italian  seemed  to  regain  control  of  himself,  for  he  put  up 
the  knife,  crying : 

"Keep-a  back.  You  say  dat  now;  sometime  we 
set'l-a." 

In  the  meantime  two  of  the  men  had  been  assisting  the 
dazed  captain  into  the  breeches  buoy,  so  very  little  time 
was  lost.  The  signal  was  given,  and  into  the  darkness 
glided  the  master  of  the  doomed  vessel. 

Once  more  Frank  hastened  back  to  the  side  of  the 
brave  girl  who  was  lashed  to  the  mast. 

"Your  father  has  gone.  You  must  follow  him  as 
swiftly  as  possible,  Miss  Bellwood." 

"When  do  you  come,  Mr.  Merriwell  ?" 


236  The  Work  of  Rescue. 

"I  shall  be  one  of  the  last  to  go  ashore." 

"I  am  not  afraid  to  remain  yet  a  while  longer.  Let 
some  of  the  men  who  are  frightened  go  next." 

Frank  felt  his  admiration  for  this  strange  girl  in- 
creasing. 

"You  are  very  brave,  Miss  Bellwood,"  he  cried,  so  she 
could  hear  him  above  the  sound  of  the  storm ;  "but  such 
a  thing  is  not  possible.  The  sailors  would  not  hear  to  it 
You  must  go  next" 

"And  you  may  remain  till  the  vessel  breaks  up  and  you 
are  lost.  That  is  all  wrong.  You  risked  your  life  to 
come  off  here  for  our  sakes ;  you  should  be  the  first  sent 
ashore." 

"Oh,  but  I  decline  to  go." 

"I  shall  pray  for  you — I  shall  pray  that  you  come  safely 
through  all  this  peril !" 

"Thank  you,  Miss  Bellwood." 

Near  at  hand  was  crouching  a  man  who  heard  many  of 
their  words. 

"Pray  for  him — pray  for  him!"  grated  Carlos  Merri- 
well.  "Your  prayers  shall  not  save  him !  If  he  remains 
long  enough,  he'll  never  set  his  feet  on  dry  land  again ! 
Who  is  he  ?  She  called  him  Merriwell.  Can  it  be  possi- 
ble he  is  the  one  I  have  reason  to  hate  above  all  others 
in  this  world?  If  so,  our  meeting  will  be  most  oppor- 
tune. He  shall  become  food  for  the  fishes !" 

Frank  did  not  know  a  most  deadly  foe  crouched  near 
at  hand,  and  watched  him  as  he  released  the  captain's 
daughter  from  the  lashings  that  held  her  to  the  mast. 

The  girl  clung  to  Frank,  for  the  waves  were  sending 
sheets  of  spray  across  the  deck,  and  the  wind  came  in 
swirls  that  tried  to  lift  and  bear  her  away.  Her  arms 
were  about  his  neck  once  more,  and  she  murmured  again : 

"I  shall  pray  for  you." 

At  that  moment  Frank  was  tempted  to  return  the  kiss 


The  Work  of  Rescue.  237 

she  had  so  impulsively  given  him  a  short  time  before. 
Her  lips  were  near,  and  they  seemed  to  invite  such  a 
caress. 

Through  his  mind  flashed  a  thought  of  Inza  Burrage, 
the  beautiful  girl  he  had  three  times  saved  from  death, 
the  girl  who  admired  and  trusted  him  above  all  other  lads 
in  the  world. 

It  was  true  that  it  was  no  more  than  a  boy  and  girl 
affection  between  them,  it  was  true  that  he  had  exacted  no 
promises  from  Inza,  and  had  given  her  none,  but  still  he 
felt  that  they  were  something  more  than  friends,  and  this 
feeling  kept  him  from  returning  the  kiss  of  the  pretty 
girl  who  clung  to  him. 

The  sailors  were  drawing  in  the  breeches  buoy,  and 
Elsie  Bellwood  must  be  ready  to  leave  the  schooner  as 
soon  as  she  could  be  placed  in  it. 

It  is  possible  she  divined  something  of  the  temptation 
that  had  assailed  Frank,  and  it  is  possible  she  felt  disap- 
pointment when  he  held  the  impulse  in  check.  But  she 
clung  close  to  him,  and  her  round,  wet  cheek  came  against 
his  face  as  he  lifted  her  and  bore  her  quickly  to  the  side 
of  the  schooner. 

The  breeches  buoy  came  gliding  out  of  the  darkness 
and  ran  into  the  schooner's  side. 

It  was  necessary  for  all  who  entered  it  to  get  in  with- 
out regard  to  any  disadvantage  at  which  it  might  place 
them.  For  a  man  it  was  not  so  bad,  but  it  was  certainly 
an  awkward  thing  for  a  woman  to  enter.  Once  in  the 
breeches,  a  person  could  be  fastened  so  there  was  little 
chance  to  get  out  until  released. 

Frank  spoke  encouraging  words  to  the  girl.  He  told 
her  to  cling  fast,  to  hold  her  breath  when  the  buoy  seemed 
to  break  away  and  plunge  beneath  the  waves,  as  it  some- 
times would,  and  to  have  perfect  faith  in  the  strength 
and  security  of  the  arrangement. 


238  The  Work  of  Rescue. 

"I  shall  do  exactly  as  you  direct,"  was  her  assurance. 
"And  I  shall  wait  on  the  shore  till  you  come  off.  I  can- 
not rest  till  I  know  you  are  safe." 

They  swung  her  over  the  side,  but  her  hands  clung  to 
his  till  the  signal  was  given.  Then  he  saw  her  slide 
swiftly  down  the  cable  that  seemed  to  lead  into  the  depths 
of  the  boiling  sea. 

The  work  of  rescue  was  carried  on  as  swiftly  as  pos- 
sible, and  Frank's  five  companions  alternated  with  five 
sailors  in  taking  their  turn  to  ride  ashore  in  the  breeches 
buoy. 

Frank  had  resolved  to  remain  and  be  the  last  one  off. 

Finally  all  the  sailors  but  the  first  mate  seemed  to  have 
gone.  The  mate  ordered  Frank  into  the  breeches  buoy, 
but  Frank  declined  to  go. 

"What's  the  matter  with  you?"  shouted  the  man, 
angrily. 

"Go  on,"  cried  Frank.     "Let  me  come  last." 

At  this  moment  a  terrible  wave  surged  over  the  ledge, 
lifting  the  schooner  and  bringing  her  down  with  a  crash 
that  splintered  her  bottom  and  shook  her  in  every  joint. 

"Stay  and  drown !"  shouted  the  mate,  as  he  made  haste 
to  get  into  the  buoy. 

Away  he  went  into  the  darkness,  away  toward  the  light 
that  was  gleaming  on  the  shore. 

Frank  felt  that  he  was  alone  on  the  doomed  vessel,  and 
a  strange  feeling  came  over  him.  It  was  not  a  feeling  of 
fear,  but  a  sensation  of  unutterable  awe  as  he  contem- 
plated the  power  of  the  storm-tossed  sea  to  wrench  and 
beat  and  destroy. 

Then  a  cry  came  from  his  lips. 

From  out  of  the  darkness  glided  a  moving  form — a 
human  figure!  He  was  not  alone  on  the  deck  of  the 
fated  schooner;  a  deadly  foe  was  at  hand. 

Carlos  Merriwell  was  there ! 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

CAST     INTO     THE     SEA. 

"You — you!"  cried  Frank.  "I  thought  you  were  on 
shore !" 

"Not  much,"  yelled  back  the  young  sailor  with  the 
scarred  face.  "I  waited — waited  for  you !" 

There  was  something  deadly  in  his  crouching  manner 
and  his  words.  Frank  realized  that  he  was  now  in  the 
most  fearful  peril. 

"Waited — for  me?" 

'"Yes ;  I  wanted  to  see  you  alone !" 

"Well,  I  am  here." 

"Is  your  name  Frank  Merawell?" 

"It  is." 

"Then  you  are  the  very  one  I  resolved  long  ago  to  find 
—to  find  and  kill !" 

He  snarled  the  words.  One  hand  was  thrust  into  his 
breast,  while  with  the  other  he  clung  to  the  shrouds. 

"Man,  you  are  mad !"  cried  Frank,  retreating  a  step. 

"Oh,  I  am  sane  enough.  I  concealed  myself  and 
waited,  hoping  they  would  not  miss  me — hoping  they 
would  think  I  had  been  swept  overboard  or  gone  ashore. 
I  watched  you.  You  wanted  to  be  able  to  say  that  you 
were  the  last  to  leave  this  vessel,  and  that  desire  held  you 
here — held  you  here  for  me !" 

The  wind  tore  over  the  vessel,  and  his  words  were 
drowned  for  the  moment ;  but  in  the  next  lull,  he  went 
on: 

"Twice  have  you  struck  me  this  night,  and  I  never  for- 


240  Cast  Into  the  Sea. 

get  a  blow.  That  was  enough  to  make  me  long  for  your 
death — to  cause  me  to  kill  you,  if  given  an  opportunity 
like  this !  But,  now  that  I  know  you — now  that  I  know 
you  are  the  one  who  will  rob  me  of  what  is  rightfully 
mine  if  I  live,  I  shall  have  no  more  compunction  in  strik- 
ing you  down  than  I  would  were  you  a  dog !" 

"You  talk  in  riddles,  man.     How  have  I  robbed  you  ?" 

Again  the  wind  set  up  a  fearful  howling,  and  Frank  did 
not  understand  the  reply  which  the  sailor  made. 

"The  fellow's  deranged,"  thought  Frank.  "There  is 
no  question  about  that.  I  shall  have  to  fight  for  life 
againts  a  madman." 

The  thought  would  have  unnerved  some  lads,  but  it 
served  to  steel  Frank  for  the  struggle  that  must  come. 
He  would  do  his  best.  Hand  to  hand,  he  believed  he 
would  be  more  than  a  match  for  the  sailor,  in  case  the 
other  were  unarmed. 

But  the  sailor  was  not  unarmed. 

From  the  shore  came  the  signal  for  the  buoy  to  be 
drawn  back  to  the  vessel. 

Then  Frank's  foe  drew  a  knife  and  came  sidling  along 
the  rail  toward  the  lad. 

Frank  knew  the  time  when  he  must  fight  for  his  life 
had  come,  and  the  odds  seemed  against  him. 

He  was  forced  to  retreat  as  the  sailor  advanced,  and 
then  the  man  laughed  harshly,  sneeringly. 

"You  can't  escape  me!"  he  declared.  "You  may  de- 
lay the  game  a  bit,  but  that  is  all." 

Frank  made  no  reply.  His  hands  were  seeking  some 
weapon  of  defense,  and  they  finally  found  it  in  a  belaying- 
pin. 

All  at  once,  Frank  changed  his  tactics,  and  suddenly 
advanced  on  the  other. 

The  sailor  paused  in  surprise,  lifting  the  knife. 


Cast  Into  the  Sea.  241 

Frank  made  an  agile  leap,  the  pin  swished  through  the 
air,  and  the  knife  was  knocked  from  the  sailor's  hand. 

The  man  gave  a  cry  of  rage,  and  closed  in  with  Frank 
before  the  latter  could  strike  him  down. 

Then  began  a  fearful  struggle. 

The  sailor  was  several  years  older  than  Frank,  and  the 
life  he  had  led  seemed  to  have  made  him  strong  to  a  sur- 
prising extent.  Although  Frank  had  twice  knocked  him 
down,  he  found  it  quite  different  when  they  came  to 
grapple. 

But  the  boy  knew  he  was  fighting  for  life,  and  he  bat- 
tled like  a  cornered  tiger. 

Round  and  round  over  that  slippery  deck  they  writhed 
and  whirled,  never  minding  the  seas  that  swept  over 
them,  never  minding  the  wind  that  threatened  to  hurl 
them,  clasped  in  each  other's  arms,  into  the  surging  bil- 
lows, never  minding  anything  but  that  they  were  fighting 
for  life. 

Sometimes  they  slipped  and  fell,  but  they  would  strug- 
gle up  and  resume  the  fierce  battle. 

In  this  manner  they  worked  their  way  over  to  the  wind- 
ward side  of  the  schooner,  and  here  Frank  was  flung  with 
such  force  upon  the  deck  that  he  was  stunned  for  the  mo- 
ment. He  realized  his  peril,  but  he  could  do  nothing  to 
save  himself,  and  through  his  brain  flashed  the  thought: 

"This  is  the  end !" 

A  wild  laugh  came  from  the  lips  of  the  sailor.  Then 
he  lifted  Frank  in  his  arms  and  hurled  him  over  the  rail 
into  the  boiling  sea ! 

Back  across  the  deck  staggered  the  sailor.  Once  more 
a  mighty  wave  swept  over  the  schooner,  and  the  man 
clung  to  the  shrouds  till  its  force  was  spent.  He  then 
clutched  the  line  and  began  drawing  in  the  breeches  buoy, 
working  with  a  wild,  fierce  energy,  and  muttering  to 
himself : 


242  Cast  Into  the  Sea. 

"No  human  being  saw  the  act,  yet  he  is  dead  and  for- 
ever out  of  the  way !  Even  though  I  may  be  suspected, 
nothing  can  ever  be  proved  against  me." 

It  did  not  take  him  long  to  draw  in  the  breeches  buoy, 
into  which  he  quickly  climbed.  Then  he  gave  the  signal, 
and,  clinging  fast,  felt  himself  jerked  swiftly  down  the 
incline  into  the  darkness  of  the  storm-swept  sea.  Waves 
rolled  over  him,  filling  his  mouth  and  eyes  with  brackish 
water,  he  was  beaten  and  thumped  and  robbed  of  his 
breath,  he  seemed  assailed  by  a  hundred  hands  that  were 
trying  to  tear  him  from  the  buoy  and  drag  him  into  the 
depths  of  the  sea.  He  fancied  that  the  hands  of  the  lad 
he  had  hurled  from  the  schooner  a  few  minutes  before 
clutched  at  him,  and  he  seemed  to  feel  that  the  dead  boy 
was  pursuing  him  in  his  mad  rush  through  the  tops  of 
the  waves.  On  every  side  of  him  he  fancied  he  saw  the 
dead  face  of  Frank  Merriwell,  with  the  staring  eyes 
turned  accusingly  upon  him,  and  that  face  was  following, 
following,  following ! 

At  last  he  understood  what  it  meant,  and  he  was 
aroused  to  fury.  He  could  not  escape  the  corpse ;  it  was 
following  him  to  the  shore,  where  it  would  appear  as  evi- 
dence against  him ! 

"Pull !  pull !  pull !" 

Even  as  that  frantic,  gurgling  cry  broke  from  his  lips, 
he  saw  a  blinding  glare  of  light  before  him,  felt  a  shock, 
and  found  he  had  reached  the  shore. 

More  dead  than  alive,  he  was  dragged  from  the 
breeches  buoy.  He  could  scarcely  stand,  and  he  looked 
shudderingly  around,  as  if  seeking  the  dead  face  that  had 
pursued  him  through  the  billows. 

The  cadets  had  rushed  forward  to  greet  him,  but  they 
stopped,  staring  in  astonishment  and  consternation  at  the 
sailor. 


Cast  Into  the  Sea.  243 

"It's  not  Merriwell !"  cried  Barney  Mulloy.  "It's  thot 
imp  av  th'  ould  b'y !" 

Hodge  confronted  the  sailor. 

"Where  is  Frank  Merriwell  ?"  he  demanded.  "Did  you 
leave  him  on  the  vessel  ?" 

"If  you  mean  that  boy,"  was  the  husky  reply,  "he  was 
swept  overboard  by  a  big  wave  just  before  I  got  into  the 
breeches.  I  tried  to  catch  him  as  the  wave  swept  him 
past,  but  I  failed." 

"I  believe  that's  a  lie!"  Hodge  passionately  cried.  "I 
believe  you  cast  him  overboard  yourself !" 


CHAPTER  XLIIL 

OUT     OF     THE     SEA. 

Frank  had  not  perished  in  the  sea.  He  had  been  cast 
over  the  windward  rail  of  the  doomed  schooner,  and  the 
next  wave  flung  him  back  on  deck,  where  he  caught  at 
anything  his  fingers  touched,  grasped  a  rope,  and  held 
fast. 

But  he  was  too  dazed  and  confused  to  make  any  move 
for  some  moments  after  the  wave  had  swept  over  the 
schooner.  When  he  did  try  to  get  up,  he  found  that 
what  he  had  passed  through  had  robbed  him  of  his 
strength,  so  he  was  weak  as  a  kitten. 

He  knew  not  what  had  become  of  his  deadly  foe,  but 
felt  certain  the  man  would  lose  little  time  in  taking  to  the 
breeches  buoy  and  getting  ashore. 

It  seemed  to  Frank  that  he  lay  for  hours  clinging  to 
that  rope,  occasionally  washed  by  the  seas  that  poured 
over  the  schooner.  Down  in  the  bowels  of  the  vessel  he 
could  hear  the  water  swishing  and  gurgling,  and  he  knew 
the  schooner  must  go  down  in  a  moment  if  she  slipped 
from  the  ledge. 

In  time  his  strength  came  back  to  him,  and  he  was 
able  to  get  upon  his  feet,  still  clinging  to  something  to 
keep  from  being  washed  overboard  by  the  seas  or  blown 
away  by  the  strong  wind. 

He  knew  where  to  find  the  life  line,  and  he  sought  it 
without  delay,  for  the  vessel  was  shivering  and  straining 
in  a  way  that  foretold  her  immediate  dissolution. 

Something  caused  him  to  think  of  Elsie  Bellwood,  and 


Out  of  the  Sea.  245 

he  wondered  if  her  prayers  had  in  any  way  been  instru- 
mental in  his  marvelous  escape  from  death  in  the  sea. 
He  knew  she  had  kept  her  word  and  prayed  for  his  life, 
and  the  thought  that  she  was  still  praying  for  him  gave 
him  faith  to  believe  he  would  yet  reach  the  shore  in 
safety. 

With  no  little  difficulty  he  repressed  a  frantic  desire  to 
make  haste — to  do  something  desperate. 

"Keep  cool,  old  fellow !"  he  muttered.  "The  chap  who 
keeps  cool  stands  the  best  show  in  a  moment  of  danger." 

So  he  kept  cool.  He  found  the  cable,  he  found  the  line 
that  was  attached  to  the  breeches  buoy,  and  he  began  pull- 
ing in  on  it. 

That  act  produced  unutterable  excitement  and  wonder 
on  shore,  where  it  was  believed  that  Frank  had  perished. 
The  breeches  buoy  ran  along  the  cable  and  disappeared 
in  the  direction  of  the  schooner,  the  locality  of  which  was 
plainly  indicated  by  the  reflector  light  that  still  flung  its 
rays  out  over  the  storm-tortured  sea. 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  that?"  cried  one  of  the  life- 
savers.  "I  thought  all  living  beings  were  off  the  vessel." 

"Mean !"  panted  Bart  Hodge,  excitedly.  "It  must  mean 
that  Frank  Merriwell  is  there !  It  must  mean  that  he 
has  not  perished !" 

"Hurro !"  shouted  Barney  Mulloy.  "Me  back  tathe  are 
chattering  to  clap  oies  on  th'  lad !" 

A  suppressed  cheer  went  up  from  those  immediately 
near  the  termination  of  the  life-line,  but  Hodge  sup- 
pressed it  with  a  gesture. 

"Wait !"  he  shouted ;  "wait  and  make  sure  it  is  Frank ! 
Then,  if  it  is,  you  may  split  your  throats !" 

The  sailor  with  the  scarred  face  had  been  most  as- 
tounded by  the  movement  of  the  breeches  buoy. 
'  "What  is  the  meaning  of  that?"  he  thought.     "It  can't 


246  Out  of  the  Sea. 

be  Merriwell.  I  am  sure  I  fixed  that  young  whelp.  It 
might  be  that  one  of  the  men  was  overlooked  and  is  still 
on  board." 

But  it  was  said  all  the  men  had  come  off  in  the  breeches 
buoy,  save  the  miserable  wretch  who  had  been  swept  over- 
board. 

A  new  fear  seized  upon  the  sailor  of  the  scarred  face. 
What  he  had  passed  through  was  enough  to  shake 
stronger  nerves  than  he  possessed,  and  now  he  fancied 
that  it  was  the  corpse  of  Frank  pulling  at  the  breeches 
buoy.  He  fancied  that  the  buoy  would  be  drawn  in  with 
a  corpse  standing  upright  in  the  breeches,  a  frightful  ac- 
cusation against  him. 

The  attention  of  every  one  was  turned  toward  the 
schooner,  and  the  line  that  was  still  running  out. 

"Now  is  my  time  to  get  out  of  the  way,"  thought  the 
scar-faced  sailor.  "If  by  any  chance  something  should 
happen — well,  I'll  not  be  here." 

It  was  an  easy  thing  for  him  to  slip  away  into  the  dark- 
ness, but  he  remained  near  enough  to  see  what  burden 
the  breeches  buoy  brought. 

Elsie  Bellwood  had  heard  all  that  passed,  having  re- 
fused to  seek  shelter  till  she  knew  Frank  was  safe.  She 
had  been  stabbed  to  the  heart  by  a  pang  of  unutterable 
anguish  when  Carlos  Merriwell  brought  the  report  that 
Frank  had  been  swept  overboard,  but  she  felt  certain  there 
had  been  foul  play.  She  had  prayed  for  Frank,  and  she 
continued  to  do  so. 

It  was  a  strange  sight  to  see  that  eager,  earnest  girl 
there  amid  the  men,  refusing  to  be  taken  away  till  the 
last  one  had  come  ashore  from  the  schooner,  and  many 
wondering  eyes  were  directed  upon  her. 

At  length  the  line  ceased  running  out,  and  all  knew 
the  buoy  had  reached  the  schooner. 


Out  of  the  Sea.  247 

Eagerly  the  signal  to  pull  away  was  awaited. 

It  came,  and  the  men  lay  to  with  a  will. 

Each  moment  added  to  the  inexpressible  excitement  on 
the  shore,  where  the  cadets  now  crowded  down  as  far 
as  the  rolling  breakers  would  allow,  refusing  to  be  driven 
back. 

Frank  was  universally  esteemed  among  the  instructors 
at  Fardale  Academy,  but,  of  them  all,  Professor  Scotch 
cared  most  for  the  lad.  He  had  come  to  regard  Frank 
with  positive  affection,  and  the  little  man's  excitement 
and  eagerness  were  pitiful  to  witness.  Wet  to  the  knees 
with  the  waves  that  rolled  far  up  the  beach,  he  stood  and 
wrung  his  hands,  staring  into  the  darkness  where  the  life- 
line led  down  and  vanished  toward  the  light  that  gleamed 
far  out  on  Tiger  Tooth  Ledge. 

The  life  savers  pulled  away  at  the  line  that  ran  to  the 
breeches  buoy,  and  every  one  knew  the  buoy  must  appear 
in  a  few  seconds. 

"Here  it  comes !" 

The  light  of  the  fire  showed  a  black  object  that  skimmed 
the  tops  of  the  waves,  coming  nearer,  nearer,  nearer. 

"Who  is  it?" 

"Is  it  Merriwell?" 

"Look !     Look  for  yourselves !" 

"It  is  Frank  Merriwell — alive!  Hurrah!  hurrah  1 
hurrah !" 

Yes,  it  was  Frank  the  breeches  buoy  brought  from  the 
jaws  of  death  to  the  arms  of  his  comrades  and  friends. 

When  she  saw  his  face,  Elsie  Bellwood  murmured 
thanks  to  Heaven,  staggering  toward  the  open  door  of  the 
old  boathouse,  to  fall  swooning  across  the  threshold. 

Great  and  unutterable  was  the  joy  of  the  cadets.  In 
unison  they  cheered,  and  the  roar  of  their  voices  sounded 
above  the  roar  of  the  baffled  and  defeated  storm. 


248  Out  of  the  Sea. 

But  Frank  had  reached  the  shore  none  too  soon.  Far 
out  on  Tiger  Tooth  Ledge  the  light  was  seen  to  sway,  and 
then,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  it  disappeared. 

The  schooner  had  slipped  from  the  ledge  and  gone 
down! 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

CARLOS      MERRIWELL. 

The  wild  night  passed,  and  a  bright  and  beautiful 
morning  followed.  But  for  the  dripping,  rain-drenched 
world  and  the  heavy  sea  which  still  flung  itself  over  Tiger 
Tooth  Ledge  and  beat  against  Black  Bluff,  there  were 
few  evidences  of  the  terrible  storm. 

The  captain  of  the  lost  schooner,  together  with  his  wife, 
daughter  and  the  sailors,  had  been  cared  for  by  the  people 
of  Fardale  village. 

Frank  had  been  taken  to  the  academy  and  put  to  bed 
in  a  warm  roorn,  and  he  came  forth  fresh  and  unruffled 
in  the  morning,  ready  to  attend  to  his  duties  as  an  under 
officer. 

But  it  was  believed  that  he  had  a  tale  to  tell,  and  he  was 
summoned  to  the  presence  of  Professor  Gunn,  the  head 
master,  with  whom  he  found  Professor  Scotch. 

The  head  master  greeted  Frank  with  dignity,  but  the 
little  professor  cast  dignity  to  the  winds,  and  wrung  the 
lad's  hand  warmly. 

"It  was  a  grand  thing — a  noble  thing  to  see  six  of  our 
young  men  row  away  into  the  teeth  of  that  storm,"  de- 
clared Scotch.  "And  you,  Mr.  Merriwell,  you  gave  them 
confidence.  But  for  you,  they  could  not  have  done  it. 
You  were  their  leader." 

"So  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn,"  observed  Pro- 
fessor Gunn,  "Mr.  Merriwell  has  been  the  leader  in  almost 
everything  that  is  praiseworthy  and  commendable  since 
he  entered  the  academy." 


250  Carlos  Merriwell. 

"True,  true,  true!"  vigorously  nodded  the  little  pro- 
fessor. "He  is  a  remarkable  youth — a  wonderful  youth ! 
He  is  a  model  young  American,  and  an  honor  to  the 
academy !" 

Frank  was  blushing  in  confusion,  for  it  was  but  natural 
that  such  open  praise  from  the  professors  should  bring 
color  to  his  face. 

"I  always  try  to  do  what  is  right,"  he  said. 

"I  am  sure  you  do,"  asserted  Professor  Gunn.  "And 
when  you  feel  that  a  thing  should  be  done,  you  have  cour- 
age enough  to  go  ahead  and  do  it !" 

"  'Go  ahead'  is  my  motto,  sir." 

"And  a  very  good  one  it  is,  young  man.  It  would  be 
a  good  motto  for  most  young  Americans,  for  push  is  what 
is  needed  in  these  days,  and  the  lad  who  does  not  possess 
it  stands  very  little  show  of  getting  to  the  top." 

"But  we  did  not  call  you  here  to  flatter  you,"  laughed 
Professor  Scotch,  in  his  big,  heavy  voice,  which  was  sev- 
eral sizes  too  large  for  his  body.  "We  want  to  ask  you 
a  few  questions." 

"That's  right,"  nodded  the  head  master. 

"I  shall  be  happy  to  answer  them,  if  possible,"  assured 
Frank. 

"A  very  singular  thing  happened  last  night,"  said  Pro- 
fessor Scotch.  "You  were  the  last  to  leave  the  ill-fated 
vessel." 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Until  the  very  moment  that  you  arrived  in  the  breeches 
buoy  no  one  on  shore  was  sure  it  could  be  you." 

"How  was  that?" 

"The  man  who  came  before  you  reported  that  you  had 
been  swept  overboard  and  drowned." 

"The  miserable  wretch !    He  tried  to  murder  me !" 


Carlos  Merriwell.  251 

"I  knew  it!  I  was  sure  of  it!"  roared  Professor 
Scotch,  excitedly. 

"Tell  us  all  about  it/'  directed  Professor  Gunn,  who 
was  scarcely  less  excited. 

So  Frank  told  of  the  terrible  struggle  on  board  the 
schooner,  and  how  a  great  wave  flung  him  back  to  the 
deck  of  the  vessel  after  his  foe  had  cast  him  overboard. 

"The  wretch!"  thundered  the  little  professor.  "He 
came  ashore  and  reported  that  you  had  been  swept  into 
the  sea  by  a  great  wave ;  but  Mr.  Hodge  accused  him  of 
foul  play,  and  the  captain's  daughter  refused  to  believe 
him.  Before  you  came  ashore  he  disappeared.  I  have 
made  inquiries  concerning  him,  and  I  find  that  he  was 
known  as  Carlos  Merriwell,  under  which  name  he 
shipped." 

"And  he  seems  to  have  a  deadly  feeling  of  animosity 
against  you,"  observed  Professor  Gunn. 

"Which  leads  us  to  believe  he  knew  of  you  before  your 
meeting  last  night" 

"We  do  not  wish  to  be  curious  concerning  your  family 
secrets,  but " 

"Not  at  all,  but " 

Both  men  stopped  and  stared  at  Frank  in  a  most  in- 
quiring way. 

"This  Carlos  Merriwell  seems  ia  some  way  related  to 
me,"  said  Frank ;  "but  to  my  knowldege,  I  never  met  the 
fellow  before.  More  than  that,  I  never  heard  of  him." 

The  professors  looked  disappointed. 

"He  must  be  a  relative,"  said  Professor  Gunn ;  "and  it 
would  seem  that  you  have  given  him  reason  to  hate  you." 

"I  do  not  think  he  is  in  any  way  related  to  me,  as  I  am 
the  only  son  of  my  father,  and  my  father's  only  brother, 
my  Uncle  Asher,  has  been  a  woman-hater  all  his  life,  and 
is  a  bachelor." 


252  Carlos  Merriwell. 

The  look  of  disappointment  grew  on  the  faces  of  the 
professors.  They  were  very  loth  to  relinquish  the  be- 
lief that  the  mysterious  sailor  of  the  scarred  face  was  in 
some  way  connected  by  blood  ties  with  Frank. 

"Your  uncle  is  your  guardian?"  questioned  Professor 
Gunn,  although  no  one  knew  this  better  than  he. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"And  he  is  very  wealthy  ?" 

"He  is  wealthy  in  a  modest  manner,  but  he  cannot  be 
said  to  be  very  wealthy.  In  the  country,  he  is  regarded 
as  a  rich  man,  but  his  fortune  would  be  considered  quit* 
small  in  any  large  city." 

"Still  it  is  large  enough  to  make  a  near  relative  covet 
it?" 

"Without  doubt." 

"And  a  conscienceless  scoundrel  might  be  led  to  at- 
tempt murder  for  it." 

"Possibly." 

"Have  you  no  reason  to  think  that  Carlos  Merriwell 
believes  you  stand  between  him  and  that  fortune  ?" 

Frank  was  about  to  answer  no,  but  he  suddenly  checked 
himself,  for,  with  a  rush,  came  the  remembrance  of  the 
scar-faced  sailor's  words,  as  they  stood  alone,  face  to  face, 
on  the  deck  of  the  schooner.  He  remembered  that  the 
sailor  had  said  something  about  being  robbed  of  what  was 
rightfully  his. 

The  professors  noted  this  hesitation,  and  they  bent 
eagerly  forward,  watching  Frank's  expressive  face. 

For  several  moments  the  boy  was  silent,  and  then  he 
slowly  said : 

"I  don't  know  but  I  dreamed  it,  but  it  seems  that,  when 
we  were  alone  on  the  schooner,  he  did  declare  that  I  stood 
between  him  and  what  rightfully  belonged  to  him." 

"Ah!" 


Carlos  Merriwell.  253 

With  that  exclamation,  both  men  straightened  up,  satis- 
faction expressed  on  their  faces. 

"Young  man,"  said  Professor  Gunn,  "I  am  convinced 
that  you  will  discover  in  time  that  this  person  is  in  some 
way  related  to  you.  I  am  convinced  that  he  is  a  most 
deadly  and  dangerous  enemy,  and  I  advise  you  to  swear 
out  a  warrant  for  his  arrest  without  delay.  If  you  do 
not,  it  is  possible  that  he  may  find  a  way  to  complete  the 
work  he  attempted  last  night." 

"That's  right,  that's  right !"  nodded  Professor  Scotch. 

"If  you  wish  to  push  this  matter,  you  are  released  from 
duty  for  the  day,"  said  the  head  master. 

Frank  improved  the  opportunity  to  leave  the  academy 
grounds  and  visit  the  village,  for  his  curiosity  concerning 
Carlos  Merriwell  had  been  thoroughly  aroused,  and  he 
longed  to  solve  the  mystery  which  seemed  to  hang  around 
the  scar-faced  sailor. 

Not  only  that,  but  he  felt  a  strong  desire  to  see  Elsie 
Bellwood  once  more,  and  tell  her  that  he  believed  her 
prayers  had  something  to  do  with  bringing  him  safely 
through  the  terrible  perils  of  the  night.  Through  all  his 
dreams  her  face  had  seemed  to  float,  smiling  down  upon 
him,  and  he  had  awakened  with  the  fancy  that  he  again 
felt  her  lips  touching  his. 

He  stepped  off  briskly  toward  the  village,  the  lightness 
of  his  heart  being  evinced  by  the  lively  air  he  whistled. 

Resolved  to  visit  the  post  office  first,  he  did  so,  and 
called  for  his  mail. 

A  drop  letter,  postmarked  Fardale,  and  bearing  a  date 
that  told  it  had  been  mailed  that  morning,  was  handed 
him. 

His  name  was  written  upon  the  envelope  in  scrawling 
chirography. 


254  Carlos  Merriwell. 

Frank  regarded  the  latter  in  surprise. 
"I  wonder  whom  this  is  from  ?"  he  muttered. 
Quickly  tearing  the  envelope  open,  he  extracted  a  sheet 
of  paper,  on  which  was  written  a  single  line : 

You  have  not  seen  the  last  of  me.  CARLOS  MERMWBLL. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

JEALOUSY. 

"Whew!" 

Frank  whistled,  expressive  of  his  feelings. 

"It  is  plain  the  fellow  means  business,  and  I  shall  have 
to  look  out  for  myself.  He  failed  in  his  murderous  at- 
tempt last  night,  but  he  is  not  going  to  let  the  matter  drop 
there.  Well,  I'll  lose  no  time  in  setting  an  officer  after 
him." 

Frank  went  at  once  to  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  had 
a  warrant  sworn  out  for  the  arrest  of  the  mysterious 
sailor,  and  he  did  not  rest  till  he  saw  the  warrant  in  the 
hands  of  the  sheriff,  who  was  instructed  to  find  the  man 
and  take  him  into  custody  as  soon  as  possible. 

But  it  was  not  to  prove  such  an  easy  thing  to  find 
Carlos  Merriwell,  for  the  young  ruffian  knew  that  he 
would  be  in  danger,  and  the  postmaster  was  the  only 
person  who  was  sure  he  had  seen  the  fellow  since  the 
previous  night. 

The  sailor  had  been  forced  to  enter  the  village  and 
visit  the  post  office  in  order  to  mail  the  letter,  but  he  had 
disappeared  as  soon  as  possible. 

Somewhat  to  Frank's  surprise,  he  learned  that  Captain 
Bellwood,  his  wife  and  his  daughter,  were  stopping  with 
Noel  Burrage,  the  father  of  Inza. 

Captain  Bellwood  would  be  likely  to  know  something 
of  Carlos  Merriwell,  so  Frank  directed  his  steps  toward 
Inza's  home. 

As  he  approached,  his  steps  grew  slower,  and  he  hesi- 


256  Jealousy. 

tated.  Somehow  a  guilty  feeling  crept  into  his  heart, 
and  he  almost  feared  to  see  Elsie  and  Inza  together. 

He  was  angry  with  himself  because  of  this  feeling  of 
guilt,  for  he  had  done  nothing  to  cause  it.  True,  Elsie 
had  kissed  him  in  a  girlish,  impulsive  way,  but  he  had 
resisted  the  temptation  to  return  that  kiss.  True,  he  had 
dreamed  of  her,  but  he  had  not  been  able  to  govern  his 
dreams. 

Still  he  dallied,  and  it  was  by  resolutely  crushing  the 
desire  to  remain  away  that  he  finally  brought  himself  to 
step  forward  swiftly  and  approach  the  house  unfalter- 
ingly. 

Before  he  reached  the  gate  he  saw  a  familiar  face  at 
the  window,  and  the  door  was  flung  open  as  he  stepped 
briskly  up  the  gravel  walk. 

Inza  and  Elsie  were  there  to  greet  him. 

"Oh,  Frank,"  cried  Inza,  "Elsie  has  told  me  all  about 
it,  and  I  am  so  proud  of  you !  It  is  like  you  to  ever  be 
brave  and  true." 

For  some  reason,  these  words  cut  him,  and  he  winced 
the  least  bit. 

Elsie  gave  him  her  hand,  warm  and  firm,  and  her  eyes 
were  full  of  admiration.  Still  he  fancied  he  saw  another 
look  there — a  look  of  sadness. 

"I  would  not  believe  you  had  perished,"  she  said,  ear- 
nestly. "I  did  not  give  you  up — not  even  when  Carlos 
Merriwell  declared  you  had  been  swept  away  by  the  sea." 

"You  said  you  would  pray  for  me." 

"I  did— I  did !" 

"And  I  came  safely  through  every  peril." 

The  two  girls  presented  a  strong  contrast,  though  both 
were  pretty.  Inza's  hair  and  the  tint  of  her  flesh  made 
her  a  brunette,  while  Elsie  was  a  blonde,  with  "eyes  of 
tender  blue."  By  nature,  Inza  was  the  more  passionate 


Jealousy.  257 

and  jealous,  but  she  could  not  be  more  true  and  faithful. 
In  fact,  she  was  far  more  liable  to  change  and  forget. 

In  midst  of  the  wild  storm,  Elsie  seemed  pretty,  but 
now,  attired  in  one  of  Inza's  dresses,  she  looked  like  a 
little  fairy. 

Frank  noted  the  mingled  sadness  and  gladness  in  her 
eyes,  and  he  hastened  to  ask : 

"Your  father — how  is  he?" 

"Oh,  he  is  much  better  this  morning.  He  was  stunned, 
but  otherwise  Carlos  Merriwell  did  not  injure  him  se- 
verely." 

"I  am  very  glad  to  hear  it.  I  have  sworn  out  a  war- 
rant for  that  ruffian's  arrest,  and  I  have  come  to  hear 
what  your  father  can  tell  me  concerning  him." 

"In  that  case,  I  fear  you  will  meet  with  disappointment, 
for  it  is  certain  father  cannot  tell  much.  However,  he 
is  in  the  parlor,  and  you  may  question  him." 

Frank  entered  the  parlor,  and  was  cordially  greeted 
by  Captain  Bellwood. 

"You  are  the  brave  young  life-saver  who  came  off  to 
us — who  saved  me  from  being  kicked  to  death  by  that 
ruffian,"  he  said,  as  he  wrung  Frank's  hand  and  gazed 
closely  at  the  lad.  "I  owe  you  much,  but  all  I  possess  in 
the  world  I  lost  with  the  Princess,  a  vessel  that  has  taken 
me  through  several  storms,  so  I  shall  not  be  able  to  repay 
you." 

"My  dear  captain,  it  was  very  little  I  did  besides  res- 
cue you  from  the  sailor,  for  our  boat  was  wrecked,  and 
the  line  we  brought  aboard  parted.  I  have  already  been 
paid  a  thousand  times  by  thanks." 

"Gallantly  spoken !  If  all  I  have  heard  concerning  you 
since  these  kind  people  gave  us  shelter  is  true,  you  are 
one  of  the  most  wonderful  young  men  in  the  world.  H 
in  any  way  I  am  ever  able  to  be  of  assistance  to  you,  you 
may  command  me." 


258  Jealousy. 

"Well,  captain,  I  have  learned  that  the  ruffian  who 
attacked  you  and  afterward  tried  to  drown  me  bears  my 
name — Merriwell.  I  wish  to  find  out  as  much  as  pos- 
sible concerning  him." 

"I  am  afraid  I  can  tell  you  very  little.  I  shipped  him 
in  Liverpool.  He  shipped  as  an  experienced  seaman,  but 
he  proved  to  be  no  more  than  a  common  sailor.  He 
claimed  to  be  a  native  of  the  United  States,  and  I  fancied 
he  spoke  the  truth.  That  is  all  I  know  about  him,  and  I 
do  not  believe  the  men  can  tell  you  much  of  anything 
more,  as  he  was  a  sulky,  sullen  sort  of  person,  who  sel- 
dom spoke  of  himself  or  his  own  affairs.  I  believe  he 
did  get  hold  of  too  much  grog  one  day,  for  he  disobeyed 
orders,  claiming  to  be  the  heir  to  great  wealth,  and  I  was 
forced  to  throw  him  into  the  hold  for  insubordination. 
That  caused  him  to  hate  me,  and  his  attack  was  caused 
by  a  desire  to  get  square." 

That  was  all  Captain  Bellwood  could  tell  Frank  con- 
cerning Carlos  Merriwell,  which  was  rather  disappoint- 
ing. 

When  Mrs.  Bellwood  had  been  brought  in  and  intro- 
duced, and  they  had  chatted  a  short  time,  the  young  cadet 
took  his  departure. 

He  found  Inza  and  Elsie  waiting  at  the  gate,  and  they 
playfully  refused  to  let  him  pass. 

"Why  are  you  in  such  a  hurry  to  get  away?"  pouted 
Inza.  "You  do  not  act  like  yourself,  Frank." 

"Is  that  true  ?"  he  asked,  feebly. 

"Is  that  true?"  she  repeated,  mockingly,  a  trifle  ma- 
liciously. "Am  I  in  the  habit  of  fibbing  so  that  you  doubt 
me  now?" 

"Oh,  you  know  I  didn't  mean  anything  of  the  kind; 
but  I  was  not  aware  that  I  appeared  in  any  but  a  natural 
manner." 


Jealousy.  259 

Somehow  his  eyes  found  Elsie's,  and  Inza,  who  was 
watching  every  glance,  bit  her  lip,  her  own  eyes  flashing. 

"I  may  be  mistaken  in  you,"  she  said,  sharply.  "Pos- 
sibly it  is  natural,  and  what  I  have  believed  natural  was 
a  veneering.  Persons  are  sometimes  deceived  in  those 
they  fancy  they  know  best." 

He  did  not  miss  the  angry  note  in  her  voice,  and  it 
brought  a  shadow  to  his  face. 

Elsie  turned  away,  as  if  she  were  hurt,  and  a  little 
cloud  had  risen  between  the  girls,  who  had  become  very 
friendly  in  a  few  short  hours,  as  girls  often  do. 

Frank  could  but  feel  that  Inza  was  unjust,  and  he 
longed  to  get  away  quickly,  before  her  suspicions  pro- 
gressed. 

Inza  held  the  gate. 

"Still  in  a  hurry?"  she  asked,  with  her  head  thrown 
back. 

"I  came  to  the  village  on  business,"  he  said,  "and  I 
have  not  yet  completed  it." 

"Ah!" — she  opened  the  gate,  bowing.  "I  beg  your 
royal  pardon  for  detaining  you.  Good-day." 

"Good-day,  young  ladies." 

He  was  walking  away  when  Inza  ran  after  him,  caught 
his  arm,  and  whispered,  pantingly: 

"So  you  have  found  another  that  you  care  for  more 
than  for  me!  I  am  not  surprised.  Don't  deny  it!  I 
have  eyes,  and  I  can  see !  I  know  she  cares  for  you,  if 
that  gives  you  satisfaction !  Her  words  made  that  plain." 

"Inza,  I " 

"Stop!  Don't  fib!  It  isn't  necessary.  What  do  I 
care !  There  are  thousands  of  fellows  in  this  world. 
Don't  you  think  for  a  moment  that  I'll  be  broken-hearted ! 
Ha !  ha !  ha !  I  made  a  mistake  in  thinking  you  different 
from  other  boys,  but  now  I  know  boys  are  all  alike." 

"But,  Inza,  this " 


260  Jealousy. 

"I  tell  you  I  do  not  care  to  hear  it !  I  saw  it  all  when 
you  looked  at  her  and  she  looked  at  you !  Perhaps  you 
fancied  I  was  not  discerning  enough  to  detect  it!  That 
was  a  compliment  to  me !  But  I  don't  mind — I  don't 
care !  Don't  think  of  me !  I  shall  not  give  you  another 
thought.  Good-by !" 

"Inza!" 

She  was  gone.  She  ran  back  to  where  Elsie  was  wait- 
ing, and,  with  arms  about  each  other,  the  two  girls  ran 
up  the  steps,  a  merry  laugh  pealing  from  Inza's  lips  as 
the  door  closed  behind  them. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 
FIRE! 

Frank  could  not  help  feeling  slightly  angered,  for  he 
was  cut  by  Inza's  injustice.  She  had  given  him  no  op- 
portunity to  speak  a  word  in  his  defense. 

For  a  moment  he  stood  there,  undecided,  and  then  he 
whirled  and  walked  swiftly  away.  When  he  was  cooler, 
he  laughed  a  little,  muttering: 

"Dear  little  Inza!  What  a  jealous  little  spitfire  she 
is !  And  she  really  thinks  she  means  what  she  has  said." 

Despite  himself,  he  was  not  a  little  troubled  by  what 
had  passed. 

He  sought  out  several  of  the  sailors,  and  questioned 
them  concerning  Carlos  Merriwell,  but  he  learned  noth- 
ing new  or  of  importance,  although  they  all  spoke  of 
hearing  Carlos  declare  that  he  was  the  rightful  heir  to 
riches. 

The  mystery  of  the  scar-faced  sailor  seemed  as  great 
as  ever,  and  it  troubled  Frank  considerably.  However, 
he  reasoned  that  the  sheriff  would  arrest  the  fellow  soon, 
and  the  truth  might  be  wrested  from  his  lips. 

But  Carlos  Merriwell  was  not  arrested  that  day. 

However,  he  was  hidden  in  the  strip  of  woods  near  the 
academy,  and  two  or  three  of  the  cadets  saw  him. 

Frank  was  warned,  as  it  seemed  certain  the  fellow  was 
lingering  near  for  no  good  purpose. 

"Begobs,  Frankie,  ye  want  to  kape  yer  weather  oie 
woide  open  to-night,"  said  Barney  Mulloy.  "Th'  spal- 
pane  manes  to  do  ye  harrum." 


262  Fire! 

"That's  right,"  nodded  Hodge.  "He's  waiting  his 
opportunity." 

"Perhaps  he  contemplates  creeping  into  camp  and  get- 
ting in  his  work  to-night,"  said  Paul  Rains. 

"He'll  have  a  fine  time  doing  that,"  laughed  Frank. 
"He  wouldn't  stand  one  chance  in  a  hundred  of  getting 
past  the  sentries." 

"Thot  wan  chance  moight  be  enough.  Take  me  ad- 
voice,  Frankie  b'y,  an'  look  out  sharrup." 

"All  right,  Barney.  Be  ready  to  turn  out  when  you 
hear  the  alarm." 

The  alarm  came,  but  not  because  of  any  intrusion  in 
the  camp. 

In  Fardale  village  the  fire-bell  clanged,  and  with  the 
second  stroke  the  blare  of  a  bugle  sounded  through  the 
sleeping  camp. 

Ta-ra-ta-ra-ta ! 
,  Bang ! 

One  of  the  sentinels  discharged  his  gun. 

Bang !  bang ! 

Two  more  sentinels  did  likewise. 

In  an  amazingly  brief  space  of  time,  the  cadets  came 
leaping  from  the  tents,  finishing  the  work  of  dressing  as 
they  emerged. 

It  was  not  necessary  to  ask  questions,  for  the  clang  of 
the  fire-bell  told  them  why  they  had  been  aroused. 

The  academy  fire  brigade,  of  which  Frank  was  the 
chief,  quickly  formed,  and  a  single  glance  told  Frank 
that  all  were  present. 

In  an  emergency  of  this  sort,  Frank  was  under  the  au- 
thority of  no  one  at  the  academy ;  he  was  permitted  to  act 
according  to  his  best  judgment. 

"There  is  a  fire  in  the  village,  men,"  he  said,  swiftly 


Fire!  263 

but  quietly.  "We  may  be  able  to  render  assistance  there. 
Are  you  ready  ?" 

"All  ready !" 

'Then  go  ahead !" 

Away  they  went  on  the  run,  clinging  together  in  one 
compact  mass,  Frank  leading. 

There  was  a  stiff  wind  blowing,  and  as  they  ran  they 
saw  a  red  glow  showing  against  the  sky. 

Every  lad  in  the  fire  brigade  was  a  sprinter,  and  they 
made  quick  time  over  the  mile  of  good  road  that  lay  be- 
tween the  academy  and  Fardale  village. 

As  they  drew  near  the  village,  a  feeling  of  alarm  and 
anxiety  grew  in  Frank's  breast,  for  he  saw  that  the  glow 
of  the  fire  came  from  that  quarter  of  the  place  where 
Inza  Burrage's  home  was  situated. 

"What  if  it  is  Inza's  home?" 

The  thought  filled  him  with  horror,  and  fairly  stag- 
gered him  for  a  moment. 

Then  he  suddenly  shot  forward  with  the  speed  of  a 
deer,  and  the  other  boys  found  they  could  not  hold  their 
own  with  him.  He  swiftly  drew  away  from  them,  fairly 
flying  along  the  streets. 

The  sleepy  villagers  were  just  turning  out.  Around  a 
corner  came  several  of  the  fire  company,  dragging  a 
hand-tub. 

They  shouted  for  him  to  catch  hold,  but  he  flew  past 
them  like  the  wind. 

In  various  parts  of  the  village  he  could  hear  individuals 
shouting  fire,  but  it  seemed  to  him  they  were  benumbed. 

He  passed  one  or  two  who  were  running  in  the  same 
direction,  and  they  must  have  wondered  at  his  speed. 

More  and  more  the  conviction  that  it  was  Inza's  home 
came  upon  him,  and,  at  last,  he  turned  a  comer  and  saw- 
that  it  was  true. 


264  Fire! 

The  L  was  a  mass  of  flames,  and  the  main  house  had 
already  caught. 

Quite  a  collection  of  persons  were  gathered  about,  but 
they  seemed  to  be  standing  numbly  by,  waiting  for  the 
antiquated  fire  apparatus  of  the  village  to  arrive. 

A  few  were  engaged  in  fetching  furniture  from  the 
parlor,  but  not  a  drop  of  water  had  been  cast  upon  the 
fire. 

Frank  burst  into  the  midst  of  the  staring  collection  of 
individuals,  hoarsely  crying: 

"Is  every  one  out  of  the  house?" 

"I  guess  so,"  drawled  one  man,  who  had  found  time  to 
take  in  a  huge  quid  of  tobacco  since  getting  out  of  bed. 

"Guess  so !"  shouted  Frank."  Don't  you  know  ?  What 
are  you  on  earth  for?" 

"Look  here,  young  fellow,"  began  the  man,  "don't  you 
sass " 

But  Frank  did  not  pause  to  hear  what  he  had  to  say. 
He  saw  some  of  the  crowd  gathered  around  some  one 
who  had  been  brought  out  of  the  house,  and  he  forced 
his  way  to  the  center,  where  he  found  Inza,  who  had  been 
overcome  by  smoke. 

"Inza!"  he  cried,  as  he  knelt  beside  her.  "Thank 
Heaven !  you  are  safe !" 

His  voice  seemed  to  arouse  her.  She  started  up, 
clutching  his  arm,  and  crying: 

"Forgive  me,  Frank — forgive  me!  Elsie — she  is  in 
there !  Save  her — save  her !" 

His  strong  arms  flung  men  to  the  right  and  left,  and 
he  dashed  into  the  house  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  dis- 
appearing up  the  smoke-shrouded  stairway. 

The  act  had  been  seen  by  a  person  who  stood  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  crowd,  and  that  person  muttered : 

"He's  gone  in  there  to  rescue  some  one.  He  has 
escaped  from  the  sea,  but  fire  might  do  the  work !" 


Fire!  265 

In  another  moment  this  man  rushed  toward  the  house. 
Some  one  stepped  in  front  of  him,  but,  with  a  fierce  ex- 
clamation, he  dashed  the  person  to  the  ground. 

As  he  reached  the  doorway  he  turned  to  look  back. 

The  glare  of  the  fire  showed  a  livid  scar  upon  his  left 
cheek. 

After  that  pause  to  inhale  a  deep  breath  of  fresh  air, 
he  bounded  up  the  stairs  after  Frank  Merriwell. 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 

FROM  THE 


Frank  was  baffled  by  the  darkness.  He  reached  the 
head  of  the  stairs,  and,  for  all  of  the  smoke,  called  again 
and  again  to  Elsie. 

He  received  no  answer. 

The  smoke  threatened  to  drive  him  back.  His  eyes 
and  throat  were  filled;  he  coughed  and  strangled. 

But  he  would  not  give  up. 

"Go  ahead  !" 

Hissing  these  words  through  his  teeth,  he  groped  his 
way  along  till  he  came  to  a  door,  which  failed  to  open  to 
his  touch. 

Frank  realized  that  he  must  have  air  very  soon. 

"Go  ahead  !" 

With  all  his  strength,  he  hurled  himself  against  the 
door,  and  it  yielded  before  him. 

As  he  plunged  into  the  room,  he  stumbled  over  some- 
thing and  fell  prostrate. 

The  smoke  was  not  so  dense  near  the  floor,  and  he  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  something  like  a  breath. 

In  getting  up,  his  hand  touched  the  object  over  which 
he  had  fallen,  and  he  uttered  a  cry  of  amazement,  for  it 
was  the  body  of  a  human  being. 

Kneeling,  his  hands  sought  this  person.  He  touched 
the  face,  the  hair,  and  then  he  quickly  cried  : 

"It  is  Elsie  !" 

A  faint  moan  came  from  the  lips  of  the  girl,  who  had 
been  overcome  by  the  smoke. 


From  the  Flames.  267 

The  alarm  of  fire  had  roused  her  from  the  bed  in  which 
she  was  sleeping  with  Inza.  She  had  attempted  to  dress 
herself,  while  Inza  had  fled  from  the  room;  but  the 
smoke  had  become  so  dense  that  she  tried  to  follow  her 
new-found  friend.  Then  it  was  that  she  groped  her  way 
to  the  wrong  door,  which  was  fastened,  and  beat  upon  it 
with  her  hands  till  she  fell  exhausted  and  unconscious. 

Knowing  it  must  be  Elsie,  Frank  gathered  her  up  in 
his  arms.  His  strength  and  energy  were  almost  gone, 
but  he  would  not  succumb.  Blindly  he  staggered  for- 
ward, with  the  precious  burden  in  his  arms.  He  sought 
the  door,  but  chance  took  him  in  the  opposite  direction, 
and  he  made  his  way  into  yet  another  room. 

The  light  of  the  fire  now  shone  in  by  a  window,  and 
this  window  he  sought.  Lifting  his  foot,  he  dashed  out 
sash,  glass,  and  all,  and  a  refreshing  gust  of  cool  night 
air  poured  in  upon  him. 

As  he  leaned  out  of  the  window,  still  holding  Elsie  in 
his  arms,  a  shout  rose  from  below. 

He  was  seen.  The  crowd  cheered  when  they  beheld 
the  girl. 

Frank  breathed  in  great  draughts  of  air,  and  his 
strength  returned. 

Several  men  gathered  beneath  the  window,  and  one  of 
them  shouted : 

"Drop  her;  we'll  catch  her." 

Frank  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then,  pressing  the  un-' 
conscious  girl  in  his  arms  a  moment,  he  held  her  out  of 
the  window. 

"Ready !"  he  called. 

"All  ready,"  came  back. 

"Now — catch  her !" 

He  let  her  drop,  and  they  caught  her,  so  she  was  not 
harmed  by  the  fall. 


268  From  the  Flames. 

"I  rather  think  I  had  better  leap  from  this  window 
instead  of  trying  to  find  the  stairs,"  said  Frank,  aloud. 

"Don't  be  in  a  hurry !"  snarled  a  savage  voice,  and  then 
Frank  was  clutched  and  dragged  back  into  the  burning 
house. 

Frank  twisted  about,  and  by  the  glare  of  the  fire,  which 
now  shone  in  by  the  window  so  that  the  room  was 
lighted  with  a  reddish-yellow  glare,  he  saw  the  scarred 
face  of  Carlos  Merriwell ! 

"You !"  he  panted. 

"Yes,"  was  the  answer  that  was  hissed  in  his  ear. 
"You  are  not  delighted  to  see  me?" 

"How  do  you  happen  here?" 

"I  saw  you  enter  the  house,  and  I  followed.  You 
escaped  last  night,  but  you'll  not  escape  again,  cousin 
mine !" 

"Cousin !"  gasped  Frank.    "I  am  no  cousin  to  you !" 

"Oh,  yes,  you  are!  I  am  the  son  of  your  father's 
brother,  that  old  fool  who  intends  to  make  you  his  heir 
when  he  dies !" 

"Uncle  Asher?" 

"Exactly." 

"It  is  false !    Uncle  Asher  never  married !" 

"That's  where  you  fool  yourself.  He  married  my 
mother,  but  they  did  not  get  along  as  well  as  they  might, 
and  she  left  him  when  I  was  a  year  old.  He  kept  the 
marriage  a  secret,  but  he  was  forced  to  support  us  hand- 
somely as  the  price  of  silence.  Mother  died  some  years 
ago,  and  I  have  since  been  wandering  over  the  face  of  the 
earth.  I  got  into  one  or  two  unpleasant  scrapes,  so  my 
virtuous  old  fool  of  a  father  disowned  me.  Now  he 
thinks  me  dead,  as  he  has  not  heard  of  me  in  some  years ; 
but  my  silence  was  enforced,  as  I  was  taking  a  vacation 
behind  bars.  When  I  got  out,  a  friend  posted  me  on  the 
lay  of  the  land  at  home,  and  I  shipped  for  this  country. 


From  the  Flames.  269 

I  have  no  hope  that  I  may  reinstate  myself  in  the  old 
man's  favor,  but  I  mean  to  put  you  out  of  the  way. 
Then,  when  the  old  fool  kicks  the  bucket,  I  may  be  able 
to  fight  my  way  into  a  portion  of  his  fortune,  at  least." 

Frank  was  stunned,  dazed,  bewildered.  Could  it  be 
true?  Was  it  possible  that  this  scar- faced  young  villain, 
this  jailbird,  of  whom  he  had  never  known  till  the  night 
before,  was  his  own  blood  cousin? 

The  sailor  had  him  in  a  firm  clutch,  and  it  would  not  be 
easy  to  break  away.  Carlos  Merriwell,  like  the  miserable 
wretch  he  was,  seemed  to  take  delight  in  gloating  over 
his  intended  victim. 

During  this  time  the  fire  was  making  rapid  progress. 
A  draught  through  the  house,  which  came  in  by  the  win- 
dow, seemed  to  sweep  the  smoke  away,  but  the  flames 
were  beginning  to  eat  through  the  partition  and  the  ceil- 
ing, from  which  the  plastering  was  dropping  in  great 
flakes. 

"It's  coming!"  cried  the  sailor,  "and  it  will  wipe  out 
every  trace  of  my  work!  They  will  believe  you  were 
overcome  by  the  smoke,  and  so  perished  in  the  flames. 
Your  death  will  not  be  placed  against  me." 

"And  I'll  not  die  without  a  struggle !"  panted  Frank, 
as  he  twisted  about  and  succeeded  in  catching  at  one  of 
the  ruffian's  wrists. 

But  the  fellow  had  a  hold  which  Frank  could  not 
break,  and  his  hand  went  up  to  the  lad's  throat,  the 
fingers  fastening  there  with  a  crushing  grip,  closing  the 
windpipe.  With  all  his  strength,  Frank  fought,  but  his 
efforts  were  vain.  In  his  ears  sounded  a  terrible  roaring, 
a  fiery  haze  floated  before  his  eyes,  followed  by  blind 
blackness,  and  the  half-formed  thought  that  death  had 
come. 

******** 

Frank  recovered  to  find  himself  in  the  open  air,  to  see 


270  From  the  Flames. 

friends  and  comrades  bending  over  him,  revealed  by  the 
light  of  the  flames,  which  now  entirely  enwrapped  the 
house.  He  started  up,  uttering  a  muffled,  choking  cry : 

"The  fire — Carlos — where " 

"Be  aisy,  Frankie,"  soothingly  said  Barney  Mulloy. 
"Av  ye  can't  be  aisy,  be  aisy  as  ye  can." 

"You  are  all  right,"  said  Bart  Hodge.  "When  you 
failed  to  come  out,  I  thought  something  must  be  wrong, 
and  so  I  went  to  look  for  you.  Barney  went  with  me." 

"Thot's  roight,  an'  nivver  a  bit  too  soon  wur  we, 
aither." 

"Carlos  Merriwell — where  is  he?" 

"It's  but  a  taste  av  the  place  he's  gone  to  that  he  got 
in  th'  foire,"  declared  Barney. 

"We  had  all  we  could  do  to  get  out,"  explained  Hodge. 
"I  believe  Barney  hit  the  ruffian  a  crack  that  laid  him 
out." 

"And  he  perished  in  the  fire?"  asked  Frank,  shudder- 
ing with  horror. 

"He  has  not  been  seen  to  leave  the  house." 

"It  was  retributive  justice,"  came  huskily  from  the  lips 
of  the  rescued  lad. 

******** 

Fortunately,  the  house  and  its  furniture  were  fully 
insured,  and,  for  all  of  the  fire  company's  primitive  ap- 
paratus for  fighting  fire,  the  flames  did  not  spread  to 
other  property. 

Noel  Burrage  was  not  a  poor  man,  so  he  could  have 
endured  the  loss  without  great  deprivation  if  he  had  not 
been  astute  enough  to  be  well  protected. 

Frank  Merriwell  was  praised  for  saving  Elsie;  but 
Hodge  and  Mulloy  won  honors  and  applause  by  rescuing 
Frank  from  the  clutches  of  the  wretch  who  was  deter- 
mined to  destroy  him. 

For  all  that  no  traces  of  Carlos  Merriwell's  bones  were 


From  the  Flames.  271 

found  amid  the  ruins,  it  was  believed  that  he  had  per- 
ished in  the  flames,  and  all  seemed  to  feel  that  the  world 
was  well  rid  of  him. 

But  the  rascal  was  not  dead,  and  what  he  did  to  injure 
Frank  will.be  told  in  the  next  volume  of  this  series,  en- 
titled "Frank  Merriwell's  Trip  West." 

The  time  quickly  came  for  Elsie  Bellwood  to  leave  Far- 
dale  with  her  parents.  She  could  not  go  away  without 
bidding  Frank  farewell,  and  he  called  upon  her  at  hef 
request. 

"It  is  not  likely  we  shall  ever  meet  again,  Mr.  Merri* 
well,"  she  said,  as  he  held  her  hand  on  the  point  of  leav* 
ing  her. 

Her  chin  quivered,  and  her  blue  eyes  filled  with  tears. 

"Don't  say  that!"  pleaded  Frank.  "We  may.  Who 
knows  what  the  future  has  in  store  ?" 

"I  shall  never  forget  you,"  she  went  on,  warmly; 
"never." 

And  so  they  parted. 

Frank  went  out,  and  turned  his  face  toward  Fardale 
Academy.  For  a  considerable  distance  he  walked  with 
his  eyes  on  the  ground. 

"Frank !" 

It  was  Inza's  voice;  she  was  calling  to  him.  He 
paused,  and  she  joined  him.  Together  they  strolled 
slowly  down  the  road,  talking  and  laughing.  The  sun- 
light was  bright  on  their  faces,  and  they  looked  happy. 


"BEST  OF  ALL  BOYS'  BOOKS " 
THE  FAMOUS 

Frank  Merriwell  Stories 

« 
By  BURT  L.  STANDISH 

No  modern  series  of  tales  for  boys  and  youths  has 
met  with  anything  like  the  cordial  reception  and  popu- 
larity accorded  to  the  Frank  Merriwell  Stories. 

There  must  be  a  reason  for  this  and  there  is.  Frank 
Merriwell,  as  portrayed  by  the  author,  is  a  jolly,  whole- 
souled,  honest,  courageous  American  lad,  who  appeals 
to  the  hearts  of  the  boys.  He  has  no  bad  habits,  and 
his  manliness  inculcates  the  idea  that  it  is  not  necessary 
for  a  boy  to  indulge  in  petty  vices  to  be  a  hero.  Frank 
Merriwell's  example  is  a  shining  light  for  every  ambitious 
lad  to  follow. 

Twenty-four  volumes  ready 

Frank  Merriwell's  School  Days  Frank  Merriwell's  Skill 

Frank  Merriwell's  Chums  Frank  Merriwell's  Champions 

Frank  Merriwell's  Foes  Frank  Merriwell's  Return  to  Yale 

Frank  Merriwell's  Trip  West  Frank  Merriwell's  Secret 

Frank  Merriwell  Down  South  Frank  Merriwell's  Loyalty 

Frank  Merriwell's  Bravery  Frank  Merriwell's  Reward 

Frank  Merriwell's  Races  Frank  Merriwell's  Faith 

Frank  Merriwell's  Hunting  Tour  Frank  Merriwell's  Victories 

Frank  Merriwell's  Sports  Afield  Frank  Merriwell's  Power 

Frank  Merriwell  at  Yale  Frank  Merriwell's  Set-Back 

Frank  Merriwell's  Courage  Frank  Merriwell's  False  Friend 

Frank  Merriwell's  Daring  Frank  Merriwell's  Brother 

Illustrated,  cloth  biading,  5O  cents  per  volume 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent,  postpaid,  on  receipt  of  price 
by  the  publisher 

DAVID  McKAY,  Philadelphia 

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